


Regret and False Pretense

by bluegold



Category: Justice League, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Smallville
Genre: Amnesia, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-11-05
Updated: 2013-06-26
Packaged: 2017-10-25 18:00:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 53,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/273155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluegold/pseuds/bluegold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clark’s been a little sick. His memory is a little fuzzy, but he remembers the important things like how to be a hero.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Lois stared at her partner in condemnation. “Clark I know you’ve been sick but how could you forget who Superman is? Or that he’s been missing all this time? Did you lose your mind along with your glasses?”

“Glasses? I don’t know Lois, everything is a bit fuzzy. Like I’m forgetting things,” Clark mumbled. Today was his first day back at work and he felt blanks. It was little things that just were not making connections in his mind. Things like why Lois and not Chloe was his partner.

“Oh just what I need,” Lois growled, as a shadow fell over their table.

“Good afternoon to you too Ms. Lane.” Lex said though his eyes never left Clark.

Clark’s head perked up at the familiar voice. “Lex!” He greeted his face breaking out into a beaming grin.

“Clark,” Lex said, his expressionless mask firmly in place. Though the wheels in his mind were already turning at the enthusiastic greeting from Clark.

“Hey you okay?” Clark asked, standing and putting a hand on Lex’s arm. Lois was stunned and Lex moved jerkily as if he wasn’t sure if he should move away or closer to Clark. “Lex, sit down.”

“Why the concern Clark?”

“Well we’re friends right Lex?” Clark asked and turned to Lois when she began to choke.

“I don’t know what this is but I don’t find it amusing in the least Clark,” Lex stated, and started to walk away as sirens crept nearer. Clark touched his arm as he turned his head to the sound.

“Go ahead Clark, and spare me the lies you feed to your foolish partner. I’m sure you have an important dry cleaners appointment to keep, you couldn’t keep all those primary colors crisp and new otherwise,” Lex said stepping off the curb as the reason for the sirens became clear as a car barreled down the street being chased by police.

“Lex!” Clark exclaimed shoving the man forward. Lex stumbled a few steps and turned as he heard the car impact. The sound did not seem right to Lex’s ears and when he looked he saw why.

Instead of bending to Clark’s normally impervious body the car had slammed into Clark tossing him aside much as it would have done Lex and kept on its speedy course. He could hear Lois’ shrieks of her partner’s name as his body lay crumpled on the curb. The blood already pooling around him from what Lex assumed was a blow to the head.

Lex was stunned as he staggered across the street sheer luck keeping him from reaching the same fate as Clark as police cars sped by him. He kneeled beside the crumpled man at a loss. He touched Clark’s hair and felt the slickness of blood under his hand as glassy green eyes opened.

“O…K..?” Clark rasped weakly and Lex shut his eyes refusing to accept there was moisture there. He made attempts on the Alien’s life constantly. But that was the crux of the matter. It was Clark who had saved him, Clark who had looked at him in a way he hadn’t done since he was a teenager. The Alien would have stopped the car with one hand, saved Lex with the other and helped a little old women cross the street, all the while accusing Lex of orchestrating the crash. Clark was lying here bleeding to death.

“I’m fine Clark, you saved me, again,” Lex said, releasing a deep breath. Clark smiled softly and his head lolled to the side. “Clark. Clark! Don’t you dare!”  
r  
“Sir, Sir, I need you to stand back,” Lex glared at the EMT worker who winced slightly at identifying Lex but did not back down.

“You want me to help him right? Please, let me do my job Mr. Luthor.” Lex stood back as the EMT began barking orders to the other’s arriving at the scene. “He has a weak pulse.”

It was all the information Lex needed, his cell phone was at his ear in seconds. “This is all your fault Luthor,” Lois snapped and Lex glanced at her and wondered how Clark put up with it on a daily basis before returning to his phone call.

“I want them destroyed,” Lex snarled as a stream of black vans and a non-descript ambulance pulled onto the curb.

“What are you doing? Do you think I will just let you take Clark?” Lois shrieked each work increasing in volume.

“I should leave him to the mercy of Metropolis General? He will be treated by the best, and until he says otherwise you are not welcome.” Lex snapped as his men loaded Clark into the ambulance even as the original EMT continued to order Lex’s men about.

Lex glanced at him for a moment and then pointed to his private ambulance service. “Get in.” He knew his own service men were not truly equipped to deal with this. His own body healed more quickly then could be explained and while they were trained on basics and the ambulance was state of the art he wouldn’t trust them with Clark’s life.

The man considered for a moment before shrugging and climbing into the ambulance. He took one look at the equipment and grinned before becoming serious again. Shoving a man aside who was failing horribly at attaching a simple oxygen mask, he placed it on properly as he attached monitors to Clark completely ignoring the eyes he could feel boring into the back of his head.

After a few minutes he turned to Lex. “He’s stable now but he needs, X-rays, a CAT-scan and most likely a blood transfusion. His legs took the brunt of the impact so there may be complications.”

Lex nodded his cell phone back to his ear, specialist who he owned body and soul for the most part already being routed to the labs set up in his penthouse. Hopefully Clark wouldn’t wake there, he was very aware of his terror of being an Alien Autopsy. A fear that had not faded when he became the man of steel, though the fear of heights had.

Listening to Lex on the phone the now intrigued EMT, took a risk, “Wouldn’t it be better to take him to a hospital?”

“Clark hates hospitals, and I don’t need that barking dog breathing down my neck at every turn,” Lex said not even wanting to consider what differences there would be in his blood. Granted the last time he had been blessed with mortality and gotten himself killed all his test results had been normal. But this was not information he was willing to take a chance on.

He wouldn’t harm Martha Kent and everyone else was held at arms reach including Lois. He was almost proud of Clark for how he strung her along as Superman and as Clark kept her mostly at arms length. But not all of the Aliens enemies had such scruples.

“Ok. This guy must be pretty important for you to do this for him.”

“Clark saved my life on a nearly weekly basis when we were younger. He was like my guardian angel, the fact that he did it again, despite his and his lovely partner Lois’ very vocal feelings about me, merit much more than a phone call to Metropolis General.”

“Wait, this is that Clark? Clark Kent? The reporter? I knew the chick was Lois Lane…without the glasses he looks like a different person almost.”

Lex eyed the EMT coolly but did not respond, making sure to catalogue him for future disposal if necessary. If the EMT made the connection that was hidden from so many idiots, it would be the last thing that he did. Clark’s glasses were a crime against the boy’s features, they made his eyes look lifeless and hid most of the amazing bone structure of his face. His cheekbones nearly vanished under the frames.

But then again, Clark was rarely if ever in the public eye. His name was known, but he was a byline. It was like Stephen King, and that man had his face plastered on the back of most of his novels and still people would never recognize him.

And with Lois leading the charge, most forgot the much more unassuming Clark as quickly as they met him, dismissing him almost instantly. It worked in his favor, throw in some bad suits, a hunched posture and bad hairstyling and you had a wonder in the making. Though Lex did wonder about the blue eyes, Clark had always worn an obscene amount of primary colors so he wondered what it could be, contacts would melt with his heat vision, not to mention if he ever forgot to put them in.

Lex stopped his wandering train of thought as they pulled into the garage of the LexCorp towers. His men, good for little else helped the EMT move Clark’s stretcher to the elevator. Looking at the EMT Lex handed him a purple business card.

“Thank you, Mercy will drive you wherever you need to be,” he said nodding to the woman who was already walking briskly to one of the cars.

He set the elevator for the floor below the penthouse and was pleased to find his staff and the doctor he called already waiting to take Clark. He followed the stretcher as they brought him into an adjoining room which would make most hospital equipment look like it belonged in the dark ages.

Using a device to scan Clark Les saw the fractures in his arm, legs, and what looked like a linear fracture in his skull from when he had fallen, a concussion was to be expected but how severe it was would not be determined until Clark woke. Lex stood out of the way but never left the room watching as they placed his arm in a cast.

Looking at the leg the doctor frowned before heading to the medical supplies. He gathered some metal screws and a plate before frowning again. Sighing he went back to the still unconscious patient and looked at the readings.

“Is he anything like you?” The doctor asked looking at Lex.

“Like me how? Healing?”

“Yes the best way to set these bones would be with metal screws and plates. But I would never do that to someone with a healing ability as drastic as yours. It would cause painful and maybe even dangerous complications.”

“He…” Lex thought and concluded this weakness could not last long and Clark’s normal bone structure was far stronger than titanium bone screws. “It would be best if you did not introduce any foreign matter into his system. His may react even more violently than my own body.”

The doctor’s brows arched at this but nodded returning to his work. Once both Clark’s legs were secure wrapped from foot to mid thigh as a precaution against movement he approached Lex.

“He is lucky; the breaks are clean and should heal within a month. His height saved him from having serious damage to his hip bones which would have cause complications. I will send over some things for the pain. They should arrive within the hour. I will be back in a few days to check the stitches as well as that fracture. In a few weeks maybe four we can change the casts so he can have at least some limited mobility as the bones heal.”

“Thank you doctor, Hope will take care of your payment,” Lex said glancing back at Clark.

“He can be moved to a more comfortable area, but I recommend doing it before he wakes. Without the medication the pain of movement with his injuries…”

“I understand Doctor.”

“Have a good afternoon, Mr. Luthor.”

“Thank you doctor,” Lex replied again as the doctor went to see Hope to get paid. He circled the bed looking at Clark completely at his mercy and sighed as he unlocked the bed and carefully began to push it to the elevator.

As he pressed the button he realized he was still wearing his Kryptonite ring. The reason he had approached the pair in the first place. He had wanted to see how well it worked in close quarters on the man of steel when he wasn’t dangling off a skyscraper.

Looking at Clark he wondered if this was the real reason he was injured. The ring was so much more refined than any of the other pieces he had ever used. But he had seen no reaction from Clark. Holding it against his skin did nothing and he had seen Superman’s skin blister at skin to skin contact with a lesser version of this refinement.

Reaching the penthouse in seconds he found Mercy waiting for him her expression never changing as she took a look at the patient.

“Where do you want him?”

“Just put him in my room.”

“Yes sir.”

Turning to his office he opened his safe and pulled out a small lead box and placed the ring inside. The glow infusing the inside of the safe until he shut the lid, and sealed the safe. Entering his room he found Mercy quickly and efficiently settling Clark into the bed he rarely used.

“Sir, how did he get hurt? How can he be hurt?”

“He shoved me out of the way of a speeding car,” Lex said, starring dispassionately at the figure in the bed. Despite his earlier moment he wasn’t sure how he really felt about this creature in his bed. He could remember the fresh faced boy that lied every chance that he had to keep his precious secret, but he could also remember the boy who would come to the mansion to do his homework just so he could be near Lex.

He could remember the Alien that would charge in screaming accusations and threats. Yet that same Alien never laid a superhuman finger on him no matter how angry or how much Lex goaded; all Lex could expect was a stern talking to. And he wasn’t foolish enough to believe it was because he was human. He had seen enough of the bruises on petty criminals to know Superman wasn’t above striking a criminal.

He could remember the reporter who would ask the questions that no one else would dare. But to be fair that was usually Lois with Clark more intent on ignoring him in public places. He just shared the bylines.

Lex realized then he didn’t know what Clark’s true motivation was for half of what he did. He had so many faces and personalities he almost wondered if this one wasn’t a new one.

“Should we give him sun?” Mercy asked looking at the curtains that he used to keep the light out of the penthouse despite the amount of windows he had.

“I suppose he is solar powered after all,” Lex said, as Mercy pulled open the curtain and a shaft of light fell across Clark’s face.

“Is he paler than usual?” Mercy asked, looking him over in the natural light.

Lex looked and nodded. Clark was usually golden. While he wasn’t at Lex’s degree of paleness, he was no longer tan. A few more days and he may have become pale. Lex was surprised he hadn’t noticed it the first moment he had seen him, but he had been more preoccupied with looking to see the reaction to the ring.

“Are all the lead shields up?” Lex asked and Mercy nodded.

“Of course sir.”

“Good, cancel my appointments for the rest of the week. I want to know what is causing this and I doubt he will stay in this condition for more than a few days.”

“Even the one with the madman?”

“Joker? He was offering me Superman on a silver platter; with his disappearance I was beginning to believe he had him. Reschedule, I want to know what he thinks he has that could be of use to me. The middle of next week should be good. If he argues, well I’m sure you will be more than able to persuade him,” Lex said with a smile.

“Yes sir,” Mercy said with what for her was an ecstatic grin.

Lex gathered his laptop from his office and settled on the other side of his bed taking notes on the changes in Clark.

The file called ‘tax report on plant 12’ was 20 pages of figures and bland tax information before his link to the real file followed by another 20 pages of tax data. Anyone scrolling through the file would miss it and he kept the actual file buried under layers of encryption.

His Clark/Alien file was filled with dozens of pages though he sometimes cursed the loss of all that information from his time in Smallville. He still couldn’t believe he actually gave Clark everything and didn’t have a back up set up some where, but that was his last mistake in the name of that god forsaken friendship.

He was listing Clark’s injuries when Mercy returned with the doctor’s delivery of pain killers for Clark.

“Will these work on him?” Mercy asked.

“When he wakes up we’ll find out,” Lex said with a frown glancing over at Clark who was still unconscious.

“The driver has been caught as well; he is looking at 7-10 for the robbery, 20-25 for attempted manslaughter.”

“That’s not good enough,” Lex snarled.

“Oh, I’ve already let loose a rumor that he likes little girls. Even convicts have their limits, they will eat him alive.”

“That’s a start; get me a full dossier on him. I want to know his fears, hopes and dreams.”

“Already working on it,” Mercy said.

“Good,” Lex said, returning to the laptop and missing the quick frown on Mercy’s face. She hoped she was wrong and Lex was doing this for normal Lex reasons, the driver had nearly hit him; and it was his right and his right alone to kill Superman. Otherwise she was out of her depth, she hadn’t been there for the test run of the ring but she would do her job, watch and wait.

She looked at Lex one last time typing away as he glanced at Clark before sweeping the penthouse one more time despite knowing it was completely secure.

Lex had long completed his catalogue of injuries when Clark began to stir. He attempted to stretch and moaned in pain, beginning to pant as he felt the full weight of the pain he was feeling as he became more awake and aware of his body and all his small movements were agony.

Lex lifted the bottle of painkillers and poured one into his hand, then took another pill from the other bottle that the doctor had provided, and then grabbed a cup of water. With the pills and cup in one hand he used the other to tilt Clark’s head up. The green eyes focused on him, through the pain and Lex waited for the look of distrust but instead Clark simply opened his mouth slightly.

Lex slipped the pills into Clark’s mouth knowing they were a powerful sedative but for now he was better off unconscious. The bruises that covered the side of Clarks face exposed parts of his chest were enough to make Lex grimace as he lowered Clark’s head down. Clark’s body would be even more colorful by the morning.

He blinked and looked at Lex as he smiled the movement aborted quickly when it aggravated the bruises on his face.

“Call mom,” Clark rasped and Lex suddenly got a bad feeling, pieces fell into place in a way he did not like.

“Clark how old are you?”

“Twenty-four, not to old for chicken soup,” Clark babbled slightly drowsy.

“Sure,” Lex said, assured this wasn’t some horrible nightmare where Clark believed he was 15 again. But it did not explain why if Clark had not forgotten some years of his life why he seemed to be completely relaxed around Lex in a way he hadn’t been in almost a decade.

“Clark, when’s the last time we saw each other?” Lex asked wondering if he would answer about the alien or as mild mannered reporter Clark Kent. When he received no answer he looked at Clark to see his eyes had already drifted shut again.

He knew Clark wouldn’t be waking again for at least another twelve hours as his medication consisted of strong pain killers and sedatives. It might even be a few days before Clark was totally lucid if he had a concussion which was obviously the case. He was willing to let Clark sleep through the concussion as he had no doubts that stubborn alien will would not let a little thing like head damage keep him from doing his part to irritate Lex to no end. Lex turned back to his laptop and looked at the list of reasons he had for what had happened to Clark.

Not knowing the cause he had no idea if Clark’s powers would return but, at least one fact was true. Clark was no longer solar powered. At one point wanting Clark to wake to answer some of his questions he had brought in a sun lap and set it on its highest setting and turned it towards the bruising on Clark’s ribs first wanting to see how quickly the healing process would begin.

He had actually gotten bored waiting; his own body healed much more quickly, and had gone for a quick dinner. When he returned he noticed a difference in the skin but not the one that was to be expected. The yellow sun powered, self proclaimed last son of Krypton skin had begun to redden, in a way Lex could remember all to well.

Looking at the spot now Lex could still see the slight sunburn, he tried to understand what this could mean and could only come up with that Clark was now a normal human which he could not believe. There was no way no matter how powerful his so called alien technology that he could alter a DNA structure that was nothing like a human’s despite the outward appearance to a double helix. And he had been right, whatever Clark was it still wasn’t human.

He had quickly taken a blood sample, at first glance it did seem more human than Lex recalled but the more scrutiny it faced the more obvious it was not the blood of a human. Clark’s selective memory could work to his advantage. It seemed that Clark trusted him once again, so now maybe he could finally get some answers.

And that was hoping that the Justice League didn’t barge in on him or even worse that barking harpy Lois Lane. They would just have to move, knowing Lois she had already fabricated some fantastical tale for her paper, and that would leave rats with wings knocking at his door any minute.

Phone to his ear almost without thought Lex called Mercy.

“I need to get out of Metropolis.”

“I’ve already set up three locations for you, one on a private ski resort in Sweden, an Island in Greece, and a penthouse in New York.”

“I’ll take the penthouse in New York, fuel the helicopter and jet. Send the jet to Greece.”

“Yes Sir.” Mercy said shutting the phone with a frown. It had been almost twelve hours since Lex had brought in the Alien. The only reason the Planet hadn’t published the story already was that Lois had foolishly tracked down the criminal in the case instead of going back to her desk. By the time she had given her statement to the police, and gotten information about the robbery the evening presses had long since been put to rest, and Clark Kent was barely a blip on the evening news, simply a ‘bystander injured as the criminals tried to escape’.

By the time she had completed her story and the grammar had been edited, as Mercy should know the copy editor was her source, it had been too late to publish it in anything but the early edition, But the real reason for the frown was the fact hat Lex should have realized this eleven hours and thirty minutes before. She had gotten used to anticipating Lex’s requests moments before they were made.

Many a time she was giving orders just as Lex called to officially give them to her. The fact that she had spent the last eleven hours believing she had lost her touch did nothing to lighten her mood as she headed to Kent’s apartment to gather his clothes.

Lex unaware of the stress he was causing his number one employee by acting so out of character began to pack essentials the penthouse would not have. His laptop slid easily into its case the cord and one of his flash drives with the projects for the next few months, easily fitting into the outer pocket.

Glancing at Clark he added the pain killers to another pocket and sighed as he took out his phone to call Mercy again.

“Mercy, go to Clark’s apartment and gather some of his things, and make sure nothing out of the ordinary is missing or exposed.”

Picking the lock to said apartment Mercy replied with a simple, “Yes Sir.”

Looking at the modest one bedroom apartment, Mercy shook her head as she went from room to room checking for traps or any other visitors. Finding none she went to the bedroom glad that it was neat. Putting down the duffel she bought she went through drawers. A flash of bright red surprised her until she realized it was a real pair of boxers.

On a whim she went to where the secret panel was, only to find the area was empty. There wasn’t a single suit in the area and the sealing door was gone making it look as if it was just a strange extension of the closet. Frowning again that two of her constants were acting so strangely she looked around the apartment for clues hoping to make sense of something.

She found nothing except the fact that Clark could cook, he had made Spanish omelets for breakfast and had more than just take out in his fridge. Checking the spice rack she noticed most of the spices were new and unopened, except for what had been used this morning.

She assumed it was tied to Superman’s disappearance, the man of steel had been gone nearly a month and counting, Clark Kent three weeks of personal leave with no date of return. He had returned today but that had been cut short by being hit by a car.

Things in her life had been so much easier when they were at each other’s throats. But the way Lex was acting was just plain disturbing. And she would not be pleased if Hope won the bet.


	2. Chapter 2

Lex looked around their new location. The Manhattan penthouse looked out over Central Park west and was two floors of towering glass, with a rooftop garden, pool and hot tub. Multiple bedrooms an office, and small in house gym made it one of Lex’s more accommodating dwellings. There was no balcony here though there were floor to ceiling glass windows in some rooms.

Clark having still been sedated had gone through the transport with the least amount of difficulty. His bedroom in this penthouse was almost a mirror duplicate of the one in Metropolis.

“Sir, he is awake,” Mercy said entering the living room.

“And?” Lex asked looking down at the city refusing to be afraid.

“He’s asking for you. He’s disoriented; he wants to make sure you’re alright.”

“Me?”

“Yes sir.”  
 ”Did he know who you were?”

“Yes sir. His exact words were; Mercy is Lex ok? Can I talk to him?”

Lex frowned but made his way into the other room and watched as Clark caught sight of him and visibly relaxed.

“Lex!” Clark exclaimed, with grin, attempting to sit up and crying out when he jarred his broken arm. Lex approached the bed quickly.

“I’m fine Clark. You on the other hand…”

“Yeah not one of my better plans,” Clark said with a soft grin.

“Why did you do that?” Lex asked.

“What do you mean? I couldn’t let you get hit by a car. I just should have moved faster.”

“What did you do Clark?” Lex asked sitting and looking Clark directly into his green and sometimes blue eyes.

“I pushed you? You think I should have done something that wouldn’t cost me an arm and a leg? Really?”

“Both legs actually.”

“Well I guess best friends are more expensive.”  
 ”Best friends?” Lex asked, coldness seeping back into his voice after falling into easy banter with Clark.

“Okay, we’ve been distant, but it’s not like we hate each other. We’ve just been busy, you with LexCorp and me with Lois. God I still can’t figure that one out. Lois? Of all the people in the world. Why not Chloe?”

“Ms. Sullivlan is currently in Paris correct?”

“Yeah covering that mob scandal, she works for herself, papers fall over themselves to buy her articles. I couldn’t remember that before.”

“Before?” Lex asked his interest perked.

“Yeah, when I was sitting with Lois, I knew she was my partner, had been for the last two years. But I couldn’t figure out why Chloe wasn’t it was weird. Like I can see the big picture but details are missing.”

“What’s missing about me?” Lex asked.

“You…we…oh my god.”

“So you remember now?” Lex asked coldly stepping away from the bed.

“I’m sorry; I don’t care how busy I was. I can’t believe the last time we talked was over a year ago and it was about work. I could have picked up a phone. Lex I…I don’t know what to say.”

Lex remained turned away from Clark and the bed. The last thing Clark remembered was their last encounter as Lex Luthor and Clark Kent. It had actually been relatively civil, Clark being the only reporter present as Ms. Lane had had a pressing engagement. They had been almost like strangers, and Lex can remember Clark looking at him very strangely but politely completing the interview and moving on to write a completely unbiased piece. Though, even Clark would have been hard pressed to find and ulterior motive to Lex donating a million dollars to fund public school children’s exposure to the arts and music.

Turning back to the bed he had a smile on his face. “It’s alright Clark we both dropped the ball on this one. I could have done the same. And remember I was out of the country for quite a few months.”

“Oh, I don’t remember that. Is this part of the accident?” Clark asked and Lex shook his head.

“You have a slight concussion but nothing major. Besides didn’t you just say you were confused before this happened?”

“Yeah, you’re right. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Clark you just had a very traumatic experience. It’s to be expected that you are confused. Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

“A little but,” Clark blushed.

“Ah, I have a nurse to help with those needs. She will be here within the hour. Would you like my help this once?”

“I think I can wait,” Clark said blushing more.

“Alright Clark, I will go get something for you to eat. Do you want some more pain medication?”

“Actually, yeah my arm is throbbing,” Clark admitted and grimaced. Lex lifted the pills from the bedside table and after a moments consideration decided against the sedative. He had some theories but he would have to wait and talk more to Clark to see what was going on in that strange head. He would also have to get a nurse to take care of Clark’s basic needs.

Stepping out into the hall Mercy handed him a list.

“Who can we expect to keep quiet with the minimum amount of fuss?”

“Carla Henry,” she doesn’t care for bribes, she just gets the job done and is discreet. She just charges enough that only the best can afford her.”

“How long?”

“She is actually in 3F so as long as it takes her to come up here.”

“Good,” Lex said sweeping into the kitchen and opening cabinets. Mercy watched with increased fascination until she finally had to ask when he took out a bottle of red wine and a bottle of ketchup.

“Sir what are you doing?”

“Making Clark Beef Bourguignon its one of his favorites,” Lex replied absently.

“And you know this how?” Mercy asked.

“He was my closest friend for five years. I know what you like to eat as well,” Lex said smoothly.

“Five years?” Mercy gaped as Lex ignored her and continued to work.

“Carla, Mercy.”

“Yes sir,” she said snapping out of her shock and pulling out her phone as Lex began to cook. That was a surprise in itself. She was glad when Carla did not have any cases it would make things less complicated.

Five minutes later Mercy escorted Carla into the kitchen as Lex chopped carrots. He wiped his hands on a dishrag and extended them to the shorter woman. She was at maximum 5’ 5” and she was in a pair of heels.

She was dressed in a no nonsense navy suit that accented her chest and hid the fact that she was slightly over weight for her height. She took her hand and could feel the strength in the shake even as he caught sight of the natural nails that were longer then he would have thought healthy for someone working in the health care profession. The power was in her arms. He could see that the blazer was stretched tight across her arms. Her hair was in an elaborate updo, with the front in curls framing her face. Burgundy lipstick was the perfect accent to the sparse burgundy highlights in her hair.

“Didn’t Mercy explain? I want you to start now.”

“That’s nice,” she said eyeing Lex and looking at counter. “I am no one’s dog Mr. Luthor. I will begin the case in two hours. It is my daughter’s wedding anniversary and I have a dinner to go to.”

“Your daughter?” Lex asked trying to gauge her age again.

“Sweetie you could be my son. However old you think I am, add 20 years.”

“55?” Lex said automatically.

“54 actually,” Lex stared looking for wrinkles and saw a few smile lines, though there was not a single gray hair or she had a fabulous dye job.

“I need you to start now, first of all Clark needs to relieve himself.”

“You are telling me you don’t have a bowl you could sacrifice? I am not getting urine on my suit. Help him go. I will start in the morning. If not I will send you the bill for my consulting fee.”

“Consulting? You didn’t even see him.”

Carla simply smiled and waved. “I will be here at seven,” She said and left.

“That is what you call the best?” Lex snarled once Carla was out of earshot.

“She comes highly recommended, sir.”

Hope entered the penthouse then. “The building and parking levels are secure sir. I also had some cars sent here via a re route then to the villa. Duplicates will be waiting at the villa if you decide to head there later.”

“Thank you Hope,” Lex said returning to the kitchen.

“Is he cooking? He’s cooking?” Hope hissed standing next to Mercy poking her in the arm. “Who’s he cooking for?”

“The boy scout,” Mercy hissed.

“Beef Bourguignon, what did he do to rate that?”

“I can hear you you know,” Lex said calmly as he opened the bottle of wine.

“Good, I don’t see any rat poison out, what gives boss man?” Hope asked taking a seat at the opposite side of the kitchen island and stealing a handful of chopped vegetables for herself.

“Why did I hire you?”

“You said the fact that she wasn’t blindly obedient gave her potential. And she has four different black belts and can outshoot anything. That and Lady Shiva doesn’t do bodyguard work.”

Lex made a non committal noise of agreement as he placed things into the pot to boil. “Watch this.” He instructed and headed back into his bedroom.

“I told you! He wants into blue boy’s pants,” Hope stated once Lex was out of earshot.

“Why because he’s cooking for him?”

“Why is he playing nurse maid to Superman of all people?”

“I wouldn’t call him that to his face,” Mercy warned. “And I think the Boy Scout is here to stay. The suits are gone Hope.”

“Maybe he just got better at hiding them.”

“Not with what we have in that apartment, he’s amazingly naive to think Lex isn’t watching him all the time.”

“Well who ever said he was smart? He’s all about smash smash, hell if he wasn’t super strong any of us could wipe the floor with him. He wouldn’t know a martial art move to save his life,” Hope sneered.

“I still don’t get how he got hurt.”

Lex returned then and went to the sink to wash his hands yet again before returning to the stove as if nothing happened. Hope glanced at Lex and at Mercy then grinned.

“So boss, is the suit padded?” Hope asked and Lex stiffened his back still turned away from the women. Feeling the change in mood like a shift in the wind Hope stood. “Look at the time, I’ll just be checking the building again,” she said before fleeing ignoring Mercy’s smirk.

“That big sir?” Mercy said easily catching the knife and placing it on the counter before leaving Lex in the kitchen alone. There was only so much teasing Lex would allow before he truly lost his temper. And it had only been since Hope joined them in the last few months that he even allowed this much.

Under the pretense of searching the penthouse yet again, Mercy found her way back into Lex’s room and looked at the bed. The bedside lamp was on and seeing that the hero was asleep she moved to turn it off when Clark turned to look at her.

“Hey,” he rasped with a smile.

“Hello superhero.”

Clark grinned, “If I was a superhero I would have gotten us both out of the way of the car.”

“Very true,” Mercy said carefully.

“Lex shouldn’t be doing this he has a company to run.”

“I’ll give you a twenty if you actually tell him that to his face.”

“Do I look stupid?” Clark asked and at Mercy’s askance look gaped. “Hey! Just because I’m not some super genius like Lex doesn’t make me dumb.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Mercy said failing to hide her grin. This was why se tended to avoid the alien, he made you want to be nice to him, with those bright eyes and happy grin, it was easier to shoot him from a distance. Or when he was looking at you as if he were better than you were, as if he was some judge of what made you more human.  
 ”But protecting Lex is my job, and I do it much better,” Mercy said standing.

“Not going to argue. But you weren’t there. I’ll be your substitute whenever.” Clark said no anger or malice in his voice. “What is Lex doing?”

“Cooking,”

“Oh,” Clark said with a soft smile. “Make sure he doesn’t burn the kitchen down,” He added settling down into his pillow.

*****

“Bats, come on pick up, pick up,” Wally whined into the phone despite the fact that it was still on its first ring. Being the flash meant that he could get to the Batcave before the call connected but he did not want to think about what Batman would actually do to him if he did. He shuddered as the gruff voice came over the line.

“Yes?”

“Did you see the morning paper?”

“Which one?” Bruce grumbled.

“Daily Planet, page six.”

Wally could hear the click of keys and wondered if Bruce ever left the cave and if he would have even known it was morning if Wally hadn’t called.  
 “So he’s back, and injured,” Bruce replied calmly. His mind already having worked out possible reasons for this even before the mention of Luthor and then the list nearly quadrupled.

“It doesn’t make sense, a car couldn’t hurt him,” Wally pointed out.

“I know that West, but Luthor is involved who knows what he is doing under this pretense of medical care.”

“You think Supes is really hurt?” Flash asked. “First he disappears now this. What if he’s like being tortured? I mean Lex knows about the Kryptonite.”

“I’ll deal with Luthor,” Batman snapped and Wally nodded until he realized there was no way for Bruce to see him.

“Yeah ok. I knew you would. Thanks.”

Batman looked about the cave and began gathering the things he would need to find Superman and Lex Luthor. No one in the league knew where or why Superman had vanished for the last month. While he did know where, having discovered the Artic hideaway quite some months ago he had no idea why the hero had vanished for nearly a month then returned as Clark Kent without so much of a word to the League.

If it had been himself who had vanished and returned without a word, it would not have caused the league to bat an eye. He wasn’t known to give the league his schedule. But Clark was the ultimate Boy Scout. If he went for a weekend on the farm he let the league know. And brought back pie.

Starting with the police report and Lois’ article he noticed immediately things were not adding up. Luthor couldn’t possibly believe that he could take Superman without the league stepping in and taking back one of their own.

He was in the bat jet heading to Metropolis before the hour was out. Landing cloaked on the rooftop of Clark’s apartment building he climbed into the one bedroom apartment quickly looking around.  
 Clark had dishes in the sink that had to be at least a day old. The apartment was its usual controlled chaos that he rarely lived in. Heading to the bedroom he noticed that his underwear drawers had been cleaned out. Going to the closet he saw that more parts of Clark’s wardrobe had gone, as if he had packed for a trip.

All going through the apartment did was raise more questions. Heading back to his jet he planned out his next move which would include Bruce Wayne making an appearance in Metropolis to check in on a business rival.

*****

“He’s been through the apartment sir,” Mercy said without preamble as Lex emerged from the shower taking the offered towel.

“How long ago?”

“Twenty minutes.”

“Well look for the ‘bumbling billionaire’ to pop up any day now.”

“Why is it he doesn’t think you know who he is?” Mercy asked as they walked into the bedroom.

“Because all those heroes are self righteous self absorbed idiots. At least he,” Lex said glancing at the still sleeping Clark, “never insulted my intelligence, at least not once he put on the cape. He just made me wonder if an alien could have dissociative identity disorder.”

“Have you figured out what is going on?”

“We are slowly working on his memory gaps, with prompts he remembers more we’ll see what happens when he wakes up today. Just no mention of the other.”

“No problem boss,” Mercy said.


	3. Chapter 3

Clark woke slowly as his body cried out for pain medication. Blinking in what could only be early morning light he wondered where Lex had gone. He was trying to see where Lex was when he saw a woman staring at him from across the room.

“Hello?” Clark asked attempting to sit up to greet the older woman and wincing.

“Hello, now don’t move I was looking for Mr. Luthor. I’m Carla Henry I’m to be your nurse.”

“Clark Kent. Hmm, he was here, at least when I fell asleep,” Clark said not noticing the arch of Carla’s brow.

Lex chose that moment to exit the bathroom wet pajama bottoms clinging to his legs as he looked at Carla. “Yes?”

“It’s seven, well ten after now. I wanted to discuss my duties and what I expect from you.”

“Let me get dressed. How did you get in here?”

“Your body guard sent me right in.”

“Hope,” Lex muttered disappearing into his walk in closet. Clark smiled faintly before turning back to Carla.

“Don’t mind him he’s grumpy before his morning coffee.”

“How do you feel?” Carla asked approaching Clark’s side of the beds. Clark was finally able to put a face to the voice and saw she was in a nurse’s uniform. The top despite being a scrub seemed to be fitted for her perfectly.

“How long have you been in pain?”

Clark sighed, “It’s what woke me.”

“It is what I assumed. Do you have a low tolerance for pain?”

“I’ve never been this hurt before.”

Carla lifted the medication bottles on the beside table and read them both. Placing the sedative aside she frowned. “When was your last dose?”

“Last night, Lex will know. It’s early isn’t it?” Clark yawned.

“Didn’t you grow up on a farm? Getting up with the rooster?” Lex asked entering the room in grey slacks and a long sleeved shirt.

“Lex,” Clark whined.

“Mr. Luthor I need to know when Clark received his last dosage of his medication.” Lex glanced at his watch.

“Nine hours and twenty three minutes ago.”

“So he can have another good.”

Lex approached the bed plucking the bottle from the side table and shaking a pill into his hand before pouring out a glass of water for Clark and feeding him the pill.

“Thanks Lex, but isn’t that her job?” Lex glanced back at Carla who gave him a wave that for a moment reminded him o f Hope and her tendency to be insolent.

“We will be discussing that in a moment, what do you want for breakfast?”

“Pancakes?” Clark asked pleadingly.  
 ”I’ll send Hope out. Any place in particular you would like them from?”

“My mom’s kitchen?”

“That might be a distance Clark. Seeing as we are in New York.”

“Oh, New York?”

“Yeah once you are up for it we can go to central park its right outside.”

“That would be nice, oh, chocolate chip pancakes from IHOP, with the strawberry syrup. They have IHOP in New York right?”

“Yes I’m sure they do,” Lex said indulging Clark and dealing with Hope’s little joke all at once. “If you would follow me,” Lex said glancing at Carla.

“Hope, Mercy,” Lex said in way of greeting.

“Morning sir.”

“Hi boss.”

“Oh Hope, Clark would like some chocolate chip pancakes, with strawberry syrup from IHOP.”

“Okay, you want me to go to IHOP? Where is there even an IHOP?”

“135th street,” Mercy supplied slipping her PDA back into her pocket.

“But…”

“You have half an hour.”

Hope looked at Lex’s cool glare and sighed making her way to the door, ignoring Mercy’s smirk.

“Don’t forget to call ahead,” Mercy said ignoring the woman’s grumblings.

“Now then, we need to discuss your duties and hours. Normally I would offer you a room in the penthouse for the duration of your working with me but seeing as you own an apartment here it seems redundant.”

“True, I have brought some standard equipment I will need,” she said pointing to a small suitcase in the corner. Walking over to it she pulled out a folder. “Here is an itemized list of the cost of the contents that will be added to my standard fee. I assume looking at his injuries I will be working here for the next few months? First in my capacity as a nurse followed by Physical Therapy?”

“Yes, you have been selected because of your discretion.”

“I have no interest in foolish tabloids, I do not care who Bruce Wayne took to the latest charity event. I think it’s a shame that that nonsense like that get more coverage than genocide happening. If the vultures find out Lex Luthor is gay it won’t be from me.”

“That’s good to hear…I’m what?” Lex asked.

“He’s very pretty, so I can understand. And polite, imagine trying to sit up to greet me.”

“Clark is…”

“A wonderful man I can tell. You are lucky to have him. I think I will enjoy caring for him.”

“He…” Lex shook his head. If nothing else it would prove if this woman was in fact telling the truth when she said she didn’t speak to reporters or the like. This was one rumor that would not come from anywhere else. It also helped that the Planet didn’t have the circulation of the New York Times. While there was a copy sitting in his office waiting for him now he doubted Carla had seen Lex Luthor kidnapper headline courtesy of Lois Lane.

“Will you need anything from me?” Lex asked calmly.

“Not at the moment, are there any allergies, I should concern myself with; any complications with his accident?”

“Nothing that should concern you,” Lex said planning to keep a close eye on Clark should his powers or memory return.

“Good, I want to speak to Clark a little more. He needs to be comfortable around me.”

“I’ll join you.”

“I’m sure someone like you have many things to do. You can’t just stay at Clark’s bedside day in and out. It’s why you hired me after all.”

“I want to make sure he’s comfortable around you. And as you rightfully guessed if you made him uncomfortable he is much too polite to ever say any thing about it. It’s infuriating.”

“Whatever you wish, does he have anything to keep him distracted? It’s not a concern now but in about two weeks he will be awake longer and still have to be kept mostly immobile.”

“Once he is able to stay awake longer than a few minutes at a time he will have plenty to keep him occupied.”

“Of course,” Carla said standing and making her way back to Lex’s bedroom. Lex looked around the room with a frown but before he could say anything Mercy entered the room with a chair in hand for Carla.

Lex nodded at Mercy who stood at the far end of the room as Lex threw off his shoes and climbed into his bed. The light movement enough to wake a dozing Clark.

“Mmm?” He murmured turning his head towards Lex.

“Wake up Clark, there is someone I need you to meet, and Hope should be back soon with your pancakes.”

“Mmm,” Clark said with a tired smile and Carla frowned.

“His dosage is too high,” she said snatching up the bottle on the bedside. Reading the label more closely she frowned. “Is he resistant to medications?”

“No if anything he would be more susceptible to them…that idiot,” Lex snarled in the same breath. “Mercy have the good Doctor here now.”

“Yes sir,” She responded phone already in hand and dialing.

“Is it dangerous?” Lex asked looking at Clark who had drifted off again.

“It may become habit forming, in the long term but the real danger would be the side effects of this medication, well one of them is a lowering of blood pressure. Increasing the dosage to this level unnecessarily increases the risk.”

“I see what dosage level would your recommend?” Lex asked.

“I am not a doctor, but even 1/3 less would be more than adequate. I’m surprised a doctor would make such a mistake.”

“I think he has dealt with too many people who take too many recreational medications. Doctor to celebrities and billionaires, since Clark was with me he must have assumed the worst.”

“But he could have asked.”

“Oh he will be paying for his mistake in spades,” Lex said not noticing his hand drifting into Clark’s hair. Until his hand comes out slightly grimy, there was still dried blood in Clark’s hair and who knows how long it had been since it was washed. They had removed Clark’s clothing to set his bones but he hadn’t had so much as a toothbrush since.

“Hair washing does fall under my duties, unless you want to cut his hair off that makes it simpler.”

“No.”

“Alright,” she said removing a small metallic purple pad and attached pen from her pocket, flipping open the case she started to write on the crisp white paper.

They worked to prepare a morning schedule for Clark, when he should wake, medication, Lex making adjustments from what he knew of Clark’s nature. Hope arrived when they were devising an afternoon plan, and Lex simply waved her into the kitchen.

The doctor was next to arrive to a scathing reprimand for Clark’s dosage.

“But you said he was like you,” the doctor stammered nervously.

“I said his body may react more violently in healing than my own. I never said anything about his drug tolerance levels, which I might add are weaker than average. If anything goes wrong because of your blunder…” Lex said letting the threat hang, wondering now if Clark’s confusion was at least partially based on the medication.

“I’ll change the prescriptions immediately. It would help to see his medical records,” the doctor said glancing nervously at Mercy who simply loomed a distance away arms crossed.

“No you don’t, if he had been brought into the ER you would treat him the best you could with the information gathered. His medical files will bring you no magical insight into him. Do your job and do it right this time,” Lex snarled.

“Yes sir,” the doctor nodded trembling slightly, “I will have the new prescriptions here in a few hours.”

“Its nice to know you have some level of competence,” Lex growled looking over at Mercy as the doctor went into the bedroom to receive another berating from Carla and they both entered the kitchen where Hope was sitting on a stool.

“Anything to report?”

“Seems Bruce Wayne was spotted having breakfast with a model who’s currently residing in the Empress Hotel in Metropolis.”

“What a coincidence,” Lex said. “Let me know when the bat shows, or when Wayne wants to meet with me. Arrange a dinner meeting.”

“Yes sir.”

“But you’re in New York,” Hope pointed out.

“It will take less than two hours to reach Kansas.”

“Don’t you even want my pancakes?” Hope asked gesturing the bags on the kitchen island Lex was ignoring.

“Clark wanted them but he’s asleep now so you can get them again tomorrow morning,” Lex said easily ignoring Hope’s irritated huff.

“Yes sir.”

*****

Bruce Wayne walked into the main offices of the Daily Planet and headed for Lois’ desk. Pressed against it at a right angle was Clark’s own desk, awash in papers and files the mess merging with a similar one on Lois’ desk.

“Hello Ms. Lane.”

“Oh, hi. What are you doing here? You know what never mind. Unless you can get me up close and personal with your Metropolis counter part.”

“You mean Lex Luthor?”

“No the other multi billionaire mogul in Metropolis.”

“Ollie’s in Metropolis?”

Lois leveled Bruce with a glare that would make lesser man cower, He just graced her with a foppish smile ignoring the none to kind statements about inbreeding she muttered under her breath.

“Would you like to have dinner with me Ms. Lane?”

“What? No,, what I would like is to talk to with someone with two brain cells to rub together; able to tell me why Luthor’s private jet and helicopter took off within minutes of each other. And why he’s cancelled appointments right and left after kidnapping my partner. What I would like to know, is how long it took for him to own this police force so that my calls are ignored. God, why doesn’t your town export something useful like Batman, at least he’s a detective. He would be useful.”

“You know he’s probably not real. I mean no one but crooks have ever seen him.”

“Well what you invite him to a party and he didn’t show?” Lois asked with a roll of her eye.

“No I was held hostage at one and he didn’t show. You shouldn’t believe in fairy tales Ms. Lane.”

“Fine she said grabbing his arm and tugging him towards the elevator.”

“What…where are we going?” Bruce asked as a perfectly manicured nail slammed into the elevator button repeatedly.

“Well that bitch Charity may turn me away but she wouldn’t dare turn Bruce Wayne away.”

“Charity?”

“Luthor’s personal secretary. Mercy and Hope seem to be gone which is why I’m sure he took Clark out of the country or something. Why else would his jet fly to Greece?” Bruce arched a brow wondering how it could be possible that Lois had found that out but smiled easily.

“Well if someone saved me from a car I would foot the bill too.”

“He’s not footing the bill, he took Clark! Just up and kidnapped him, who knows what he’s up to. Its not like they are on the best of terms I mean, I never even saw this supposed friendship when I was in Smallville and Clark can’t take care of himself. He was being friendly to Luthor when he showed up. Called them friends.”

“Friends?”

“Yes I know insane, Clark’s been out for over a month and now this. Its bad enough Clark was oblivious enough to not know who Superman was, but to think Luthor was his friend? That’s just insane.”

Bruce was glad Lois was ignoring him as he forced himself to slip the Bruce mask again. “Forgot Superman? The big alien in the cape? I thought your partner was really smart.”

Lois narrowed her eyes at Bruce. “You’re calling Clark dumb?”

“Well didn’t he get the first ever Superman interview? Got himself some awards for that. How do you forget something that made your career?”

Lois frowned as they approached Alfred and Bruce grinned. “Where would you like to go to lunch?”

“You haven’t heard a word I’ve said!” Lois snapped and Bruce gave her an enigmatic shrug.

“To Luthorcorp Geeves and step on it.”

“There aren’t any good restaurants near there,” Bruce said with a small frown.

“How closely related were your parents?” Lois snarled and watched Bruce’s expression darken as a scowl twisted the normally handsome and harmless features into something that made the hair on the back of Lois’ neck stand on end. Clark had a similar expression when Lex was mentioned. One that reminded her of Clark’s darker side, which she had seen up close and personal.

“Master Bruce,” Alfred called for no reason Lois could figure until she saw the expression melt away from Bruce as if it had never been there. And Lois watched the man closely. Life and joy in his expression again though now she wondered what Bruce Wayne was like. Lex had a similar double face and despite her and Clark’s best efforts he was still mostly Metropolis’ darling son.

“Sorry,” Lois said grudgingly pulling out a battered pack of cigarettes and banging the pack against the back of her hand.

“No smoking, it makes Alfred sick,” Bruce murmured softly. “I thought you quit?”

“Have you been paying attention to me Mr. Wayne?”

“Well kissing is not half as fun with a girl who smokes.”

Lois rolled her eyes but decided there was more to Bruce than meets the eyes. “I did. This was my last pack; it’s a few years old. But this is enough to get me started again. The banging works for now. See still sealed.”

Bruce looked at the pack and nodded. “Plus when an Alien tells you your lungs are looking a little dark…you get nervous,” Lois admitted.

“Have you heard from Superman? I know you two are friends.”

“Nothing he disappeared, me and Clark looked into for a while but then Clark got sick. I mean what kind of grown man gets Mono then runs off to hide with mommy?”

“Well I’d hire a few playboy bunnies to care for me but not every one likes the bunnies,” Bruce said wistfully and Lois wonders if she was giving the man too much credit. He was either a world class actor that put Lex Luthor to shame or a spoilt billionaire playboy.

“Master Bruce we have arrived at Luthor corp towers as per Ms. Lane’s request.”

“Thanks Alfred,” Bruce said opening the door and stepping out of the door before politely holding the door for Lois.

“Thanks big boy,” Lois said with a sigh leading Bruce into the building and bypassing most of the security by walking with a quick purposeful stride to the elevator in her three inch pumps. Bruce followed more sedately but with no less purpose arriving at Lois’ side as the doors of the elevator slid silently open.

Bruce’s mind whirled at what he had learned so far. While Lois had assumed he was moping at bringing up his parents he had telepathically set up a meeting at the watchtower for an hour from now. The league needed to be brought in now and J’onn was just the Martian to do it.

Stepping off the elevator Bruce allowed Lois to lead wondering what the woman hoped to accomplish. Sitting behind the desk in a crisp maroon suit was Charity. The blond stood her ringlets bouncing as cool blue eyes surveyed the reporter.

“Ms. Lane,” Charity spoke coldly. “You were told already, Mr. Luthor has a busy schedule. He can pencil you in for fifteen minutes sometime next month at the earliest.

Bruce slipped between the two women a charming smile on his face. “Hello, Charity is it? Bruce Wayne.”

“I know who you are Mr. Wayne,” Charity said dark expression not changing.

“Well I wanted to know if your boss would like to head out for dinner; I’ll only be in town a day or two more and we had the best conversation about Porsches when we last saw each other though I heard he bought an Aston I wanted to know if I had converted him.”

“One moment Mr. Wayne.”

“Call me Bruce, he added grinning. Charity sat back down and typed a few keys into her computer, spoke what could only be a code into her headset and looked at Bruce with a smile.

“Mr. Luthor had a cancellation. He will be able to have dinner with you tonight about seven.”

“Excellent, thank you Charity. Would you be free for a drink?”

“I’m sorry but that would not be possible Mr. Wayne,” Charity said smirking at the glare Lois was sending from over Bruce’s oblivious shoulder.

“Maybe lunch tomorrow then?”

“I take my lunch at my desk most days.”

“All the more reason to join me at a bistro,” Bruce said gently taking her hand and kissing the back.

Charity smiled but Bruce saw it did not reach her eyes. This woman was not taken by his supposed charms. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Excellent, maybe I will keep your boss out so late he’ll give you the day off, I have yet to have an official tour of this fair city.”

“And what about, Miranda?”

“Miranda?”

“The model Mr. Wayne,” Lois butted in. “If your boss has time to make for this oaf I’m sure he can squeeze me in.”

“That is just not possible Ms. Lane. Now if you would excuse me,” Charity said returning to her computer and ignoring them both.

“Good bye beautiful,” Bruce said with an easy smile leading the huffing Lois to the elevators.

“You’re worse than Clark and that aw’ shucks’ I’m just a simple farm boy from Podunk routine he pulls out.”

“What she was cute, why shouldn’t I want to have lunch with her?”

Lois moaned into her hand, “at least with Clark it’s mostly fake. I’m coming to dinner with you.”

“Bruce grinned of course you are. Let me just tell Charity it will be a double.”

“No,” Lois said tugging him into the elevator it can be a surprise.”

“Okay,” Bruce said as he approached Alfred who was again waiting outside door open for Bruce. “Alfred I’ll need a dozen long stem red roses sent to Charity hmm did you catch her last name?”

“Its Standish, she’s from a small town in the northeast right on the water. Tranquility, or Melody, or something like that.”

“Oh and something nice for lunch. Maybe sushi?”  
 ”I will look into it. Sir, do not forget you have to prepare for your meeting.”

“Oh yes of course Alfred. Let’s just take Lois back to the planet. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of time to get ready in the meanwhile.”

“As you wish sir.”

Bruce played up the playboy side of his personality knowing Lois to be skilled but could be turned off course more easily now that she a larger concern looking for Clark. Dropping her off at the planet Lois nearly fled and the mask shattered completely.

Alfred said nothing as they drove to the outskirts of town before Bruce Wayne vanished and emerged Batman.

“J’onn,” Bruce said this time into a communicator and in moments he was emerging from one of the watchtower’s teleportation pods.

Entering into the war room he saw he was the last to arrive. Flash, Diana, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, J’onn and Black Canary were all seated at the table already.

“Did you get him?” Flash asked quickly his hands blurring across the table in his nervousness.  
 ”No, there are more things to consider.”

“What’s there to consider? I get the boys together and we do a snatch and grab,” Oliver said with a growl.

“While your terrorist techniques worked six years ago, most likely due to your repeated attacks Luthor’s security has grown by leaps and bounds. Kryptonite laced weapons, fine motion sensors, fire shooters, even the random yellow laser beam.”

“None of which would stop me,” Diana said.

“No, but you are an ambassador to your people. He would call it an unprovoked attack at best, an act of war at worst”

“Are you saying we can’t get him?”

“No I’m saying we have to be smart about it,” Batman said. “First we have to know where he is. According to Lois, Luthor’s private jet and helicopter took off within moments of each other. The helicopter ‘forgot’ to register its destination. I am going to assume the jet was a decoy. Oliver, you can look into that.”

“What will you be doing?” Oliver snarled.

“One I will be having dinner with Lex Luthor and hitting him with a tracking spray.”

“What else did you learn?” John asked sure Batman would not have brought them up here with such a frantic call for a slight lead.

“Lois was the only one to speak to Clark before he was taken. She said Clark was disoriented and confused. Both of which question the state of his memory.”

“Well do keep us in suspense,” Flash said irritably.

“One Clark treated Lex as if they were friends. Two he had no idea who Superman was.”

“But they are one and the same,” Diana said with a frown.

“Which is why when we find him one of the first things I want to happen is to have J’onn scan him.”

“You know I can not read him. Short of one incident where I was able to enter his mind by way of a parasite to free him his mind is a sealed box to me.”

“I want you to do it anyway,” Bruce said without further explanation.

“This is bad isn’t it?” Flash said almost as big a fan of Clark as the younger speedster Impulse. “This is why he got hurt isn’t it?”

“Hurt?” Diana questioned echoed by Oliver and Dinah.

“They got here right before you did Bats, they just know Luthor kidnapped ‘Clark Kent’. What you missed was Lois’ article in the planet. Clark pushed Lex out of the way of a car. And was hit, he was hurt badly and hustled off to who knows where in a LexCorp ambulance.”

“But he is invulnerable.”

“He is supposed to be. Which is why the sooner we find him the better.”

“Maybe we should talk to Martha.”

“It would prove difficult she’s gone back into session. She left the farm yesterday which means there is a good chance she hasn’t heard of it yet.”

“I will speak to her,” Diana said. “It would be best to understand. Though I hope we will have better news to give her. She will not be free until early evening correct?”

“At best,” Bruce said having checked in on the woman as well though discreetly. She had back to back meetings and sessions planed. Her second term and first full term was just as hectic as the last.

“Is that all?” Oliver asked already standing.

“Just find where he’s hiding,” Batman said standing ignoring Diana’s glance towards him.

“What should we tell the others?” J’onn asked.

“Nothing if they don’t ask or know. Not until we can be sure what is going on. That includes your little band Queen,”

“Whatever you say oh mighty leader,” Oliver said his voice dripping with sarcasm as Dinah touched his arm calming him slightly.

“Let’s go Ollie, I’ll help you research.”

“What are you thinking Batman?” J’onn asked.

“I think there is a lot more going on than we realize and its tied to Clark’s disappearance and whatever happened the last month. I think Luthor took advantage of an opportunity and now Clark is in over his head. What worries me the most is that I don’t think kryptonite was involved. Lois made no mention of Clark acting ill when Luthor approached and there are simply too many holes. Too many inconsistencies, things are not adding up.”

“You are worried for him.”

“Without his powers, hell even with his powers Clark is the most naïve one of us all. This time it may have gotten him killed.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Are you sure this will work boss?” Mercy asked looking at the small portable DVD player. “Who do you think it will be?”

“Maybe the Flash. Once it’s done send me a message so I can be sure to end the dinner from hell.”

“What if they try and take him?”

“At the moment they only have speculation on where I am. And are they going to come in by force? He can’t be moved.”

“Do you know what happened to him?”

“Probably some idiotic alien mating ritual for all I know,” Lex said with a shake of his head. Walking back into his bedroom he looked at Carla who was drying Clark’s freshly washed hair. Clark’s new medication still left him in a mostly pain free haze but he was aware of the goings on.

“Lex,” Clark whispered with half open eyes.

“I have to go out for a few hours.”

“Okay, sleepy.” Lex waited and was sure the fingers through his hair were not helping Clark win the fight to stay awake moved away from the bed “Lex.”

“Yes?”

“Careful. Mercy.”

The body guard who had entered the room blinked. “Yes?”

“You, Lex safe.”  
 Lex saw the look of surprise that crossed Mercy’s face as she made sure she understood. “I’ll keep him safe. We had a deal right?”

“Right,” Clark smiled eyes shut.

“Deal Mercy?” Lex questioned.

“Nice Lex,” Clark reprimanded and she didn’t bother to hide her smile. Nor did Carla as she carefully brought the towels and soapy water filled bowls into the bathroom to clean out Mercy saw the corners of Lex’s mouth crawl upwards before his expression closed off.

“What are you going to do when he gets better?”

“We’ll see what he remembers,” Lex said icily moving to the door Mercy trailing behind.

Carla frowned as she returned to the room pulling out a notebook she used to record Clark’s eating habits, medication schedule and all observations. She wondered what Clark had forgotten and resolved to keep a close eye on the couple. Whatever Clark had forgotten didn’t sound good. She could easily see how the duo could have had a fight.

Carla could easily see Lex not allowing any leeway in their relationship normally. And keeping it a secret had to be trying as well. After checking once more to make sure Clark was asleep she headed to the kitchen to prepare a meal for herself smiling slightly at Hope who was hunched on the kitchen island having been left behind.

“Do you stay behind often?” She asked attempting conversation.

“I’m still the new kid. We leave the interesting things to Mercy, I get pancakes.”

****

Lois was sitting at her desk frowning as she glanced at Clark’s desk which was still missing the unassuming farm boy when a shadow fell over her. Looking up the frown only deepened.

“Bruce.”

“Lois,” he said with an easy smile. “We have a dinner date.”

“That’s in an hour.”

“You can’t go to Rose dressed like that. We have to get you dressed,” Bruce said with an easy smile. Lois looked up at him and for the first time noticed he was dressed in a black suit with a light blue shirt that matched his eyes. Not that Lois noticed at all.

Sighing she shut down her computer and followed Bruce down to his car. Surprised to see a limo. “I gave Alfred the night off,” Bruce explained with a smile. They entered the limo and drove for less than five minutes before pulling up in front of a woman’s boutique in one of the most expensive neighborhoods of Metropolis.

Inside Lois saw that they already knew she was coming and had three dresses waiting for her. “She’ll take all of them. She’ll wear this one out,” Bruce said holding up a pale lavender dress that was low cut in both the front and the back.

She was hustled into the dress, provided shoes and had hair and makeup artists attempted to approach her only to be sent fleeing in less than five minutes. She emerged from the back to find that Bruce had undergone a slight transformation as well.

He was in a different black suit that looked much more form fitting and a dark blue shirt and matching tie. A styling product had been added to his hair and it had been slicked back and tousled slightly. If it had been longer she would have thought he was going for an approximation of Clark’s naturally messy black hair.

“You know Jean Claude was very put out you didn’t let him do your hair.”

“I’m oh so terribly sad about that. Let’s get this over with.”

Bruce took her arm gently either completely missing or not being bothered by her sarcasm. She assumed it was the former, the latter required brain cells. Reentering the limo they made their way to Rose. A restaurant she vaguely remembered due to some celebrity’s dirty laundry being aired there. Having been out with the mistress and caught by the wife. Or had it been the other way around?

Lois glanced at Bruce as he held out a champagne glass and fought to not roll her eyes. She was doing this for Clark. She would find out where Luthor had secreted him away to. And get him away before that monster did permanent damage.

Lois hadn’t been there for the doomed friendship, by the time she had arrived in Smallville they were already distant and, from what she had learned from Chloe it had just gotten worse the more Lex did things with questionable legal practices.

They pulled up in front of the restaurant and she scowled seeing paparazzi lining the outside of the restaurant. She wondered if it was for Bruce until the door opened and he stepped out and she heard the question from Cat.

“Why Bruce! What a lovely surprise what brings you to Rose tonight?”

Bruce smiled and stuck his head into the limo grin still in place. “Ready? There are a lot of cameras out here.”

Lois grinned and it was far from friendly. Bruce stepped back, and extended an arm to Lois. The first part to be exposed was a long pale, bare leg. The camera’s flashing increased until she stepped out fully. The flashes died one by one. Some even took a few steps back away from Lois. Cat took one look at her co-worker and fumed.

“How’d you do that?” Bruce asked.

“You feed one paparazzi his camera and you get some kind of reputation,” Lois said with an innocent shrug.

Bruce simply smiled as they walked into the restaurant and to the host. “I’m meeting Lex Luthor for dinner?”

“Ah, yes, Mr. Wayne, follow me.” The duo walked around the restaurant and she was surprised to see Oliver Queen at a table with a brunette she didn’t recognize. He caught her eye raising a brow at her company and she rolled her eyes causing Oliver to grin and zip his lips with his finger before whispering something to his date that had her laughing.

The walked to a few more tables and Lois saw their reason for their greeting. One of those teenage celebrities who had been in an out of rehab dozens of times despite being able to legally drink for less than a year was having dinner with someone who looked like they had been strung out on cocaine just days earlier. Their movements were jittery, and their pale emaciated face looked even worse compared to the teens bottled tan.

Lois was wondering if there was anyone else of note in the restaurant and nearly bumped into Bruce when he stopped walking.

“Bruce, it’s good to see you again,” Lex said standing and extending a hand to the fellow billionaire. Lois stared at Lex for a moment wondering how he could be wearing such a fake smile and chatting with Bruce when he had Clark holed up somewhere doing gods knows what to him.

“Good evening Ms. Lane.”

“Luthor.”

Bruce pulled out a chair for Lois gently pushing her into it to stop the glaring contest that Lois had initiated.

“I didn’t know you were brining a date.”

“Where are the double mint twins? Guarding Clark from escaping?”

“I have no idea what you mean,” Lex stated with a frown, “Bruce how have you been?”

“Well, I seemed to have made a few more million dollars even with out that Luthorcorp defense contract.”

“With what?” Lex asked wondering if Bruce would actually give him an answer.

“No idea, Lucius takes care of things like that. I cut a few ribbons; attend a few galas, interviews and such. I leave the business to professionals.”

Lex smirked and lifted a hand towards the waiter and he approached. “Another scotch Mr. Luthor?”

“Yes and my friend will be having?” Lex asked glancing at Bruce.

“A Vesper, Lois?”

“Water,” she stated coldly.

“So how long have you and Miss Lane been an item Bruce?”

“Huh? Oh she wanted to see you. I thought she was dating that other reporter. Mark?”

“Clark,” Lex said smoothly. “That would fit Lois’ pattern.”

“What pattern?” Lois snarled.

“Your attraction to sanctimonious do gooders. Granted romantically Clark doesn’t give you the time of day.”

“Clark doesn’t give me…you,” Lois snarled “I don’t want that as you like to call him sanctimonious do gooder.”

“Oh Clark’s quite the hypocrite,” Lex said blandly. “I think I’ll have the duck, with pineapple fried rice.” Lex said as the waiter returned with their drinks.

“I’ll have the Chicken Pad Thai. Lois?” Bruce asked.

“What have you done with Clark?” Lois snapped.

“Is the madam not hungry?” The waiter asked calmly.

“I’ll have the spring rolls,” Lois said glancing at the first thing on the menu. Usually she loved Thai and would have gotten some curry, but right now she was very tightly locked in a rage.

“And what would you like for your entre?”

“Green Curry, brown rice. Now get gone.”

“Lois you are being quite rude to the waiter,” Lex said mildly.

“And you are a bastard.”

“Sadly Lois I’ve always been aware of who my father is.”

“And you grew up to be just like him.” Lex said nothing as he watched her fume. “You will tell me what you have done with Clark.”

“I have known Clark much longer than you,” Lex glanced at Bruce who was watching them with an expression of mild interest. “And I’ve always known how to take care of him. It is not my fault you seem to be misplacing the men in your life.”

Bruce’s expression didn’t change as Lois glared. “Misplaced? I haven’t misplaced anyone! You stole Clark.”

“I was referring to your lover of primary colors, but we can discuss Clark as well. He is safe, well cared for and has shown no desire to leave.”

“I want to see him then if he is so fine. Take me to him right now.”

“He has also shown no desire to contact you Ms. Lane. Besides, we are in the middle of a wonderful Thai dinner. You are quite the neglectful date as well, is this why you are single or are you really stupid enough to be fawning after an alien?”

A small streak of color splashed across Lois’ cheek before she gained control over herself. She tossed her napkin on the table and stood in a sharp movement.”

“This isn’t over Lex! And so help me if you have hurt Clark.”

“You will use your amazing ability to dangle off buildings to make my life a living hell. You should keep in mind there is no one to catch you anymore Ms. Lane. Neither Clark, nor Superman.”

“Was that a threat?” Lois snarled leaning down towards Lex.

“Just a statement of fact.”

“Let’s go,” Lois snapped to Bruce and for a moment Lex saw his true face at being ordered so casually.

“What? But I haven’t even finished my Vesper.”

“Forget it! I’m taking the limo.”

“Okay,” Bruce said with a shrug, knowing he had to keep Lex at the restaurant for some time more at least for the extraction to happen. He watched Lois stomp out of the restaurant ignoring the fact that he gave Lex his back. “So I noticed the new car wasn’t a Porsche.”

Lex grinned, “Someone convinced me to give British Luxury Cars a chance.”

****

Mercy smiled as she watched the power for the penthouse go down. She waited the breath before activating the disruptor. As usual Lex was right and in a blink a Flash of red came to a stop before her. She knew she only had moments before the Martian made his way in as well. The illusory fire would only keep him at bay for so long.

“You guys are idiots,” she said tossing a DVD to the Flash who felt trapped in molasses and actually fumbled the catch. Walking out she saw the green head begin to push up through the floor as she headed to the roof and her escape.

Once the helicopter was in the air, she dissipated the trap and rolled her eyes at the bumbling heroes. She had been worried at first but this helped her to believe that Lex was still at the top of his game. He had anticipated the entire scenario perfectly.

Sitting back as the helicopter landed barely a mile away she called Lex once the noise had stopped.

“It’s done sir.”

“Good, would you like Thai for dinner?” Lex asked casually and Mercy wondered if Batman was thick enough to think this was Lex’s public face. It was a mockery of Bruce Wayne he only used for the other Billionaire.

“Green Curry sir.” Lex laughed and Mercy wondered what was so amusing but Lex had already hung up.

“Girlfriend?”

Lex smirked, “Mercy,” ignoring the dark that flashed in Bruce’s eyes at the mention of the name. He wondered if he only noticed because he knew who Bruce was or if the man was simply not as good as he had originally thought. Living every public moment as something you were not could not have been easy. If Bruce had found a more middle ground it would have been simpler.

Making Bruce Wayne a complete idiot was not necessary to isolate him from Batman. If he had been a least a little business savy in his public face he could have learned a lot of things from people like him and Randall Savage as Bruce Wayne. Though he supposed Savage after living nearly 10,000 years would not be fooled so easily.

But maybe that worked just the way he wanted. Some lesser criminals might feel free to talk in front of an idiot Bruce Wayne because the man had no intelligence to use what he learned. Though those that did that deserved their fate, Lex never had the desire to wax poetic to The Alien all his ‘secret schemes’.

But The Alien had been smarter than that; most of its attacks towards Lex were from a distance. And the Kryptonite bullets still remained an unused threat.

“So been anywhere interesting lately?”

Lex smiled it was such an innocuous question. “I’m actually heading to a couple of different places in the next few weeks. New York, Milan, Paris, London, Tokyo. The next few months are shaping to be quite interesting. You?”

“You know me, wherever catches my fancy.”

“You do tend to spend an enormous amount of time in that house on the hill.”

“I like the manor and I can have anything brought to me. But if I feel like going to ski, or going to Metropolis I just do. No meetings to reschedule and all that.”

“Yes I do lack that luxury and most of these trips have a tie to business somewhere,” Lex admitted.

“And business isn’t half as fun as being in a hot tub in aspen with a dozen ski bunnies.”

“It can be,” Lex said talking a sip of his drink.

****

The Flash and the Martian Manhunter entered the control room of the watch tower at a quick stride to see what they had been given by Mercy. They had thought it a DVD until words slowly appeared on the screen.

John Jones  
Wally West

Martian Manhunter  
The Flash

Oliver Queen  
Kyle Rayner

Green Arrow  
Green Lantern

Wally’s legs buckled as he fell on his behind. The list continued on and on. Even reserve part time members of the league who had never crossed Lex’s path were there on full display. When Mercy’s face finally appeared on the screen Wally got enough of himself back to stop the DVD.

“All of us. Every last one,” Wally gasped and looking at J’onn he wondered if someone that was green could be pale.

Wally reached a trembling hand to assemble the entire JLA when J’onn stopped him.

“No we need to discuss this first.”

“It’s not just us J’onn it’s everyone.”

“We have to approach this right. Some of them would want to go in their guns blazing and destroy Luthor before he exposes them. We do not know where he has placed this information. We need to have clear heads on this.

“Fine,” Wally said shoving his cowl away from his face and pacing.

It took minutes for the heroes to assemble. Even Bruce appeared dressed impeccably, but despite the clothes it was Batman that sat in the chair blue eyes cold and hard.

They were all in the meeting room and with out a word J’onn began to play the DVD. Shock, Horror, Fear, and Anger played across the faces of all gathered until Mercy with a smirk appeared on the screen.

“I guess we have your attention now? Good. So its simple really, leave us alone or that will be posted on the internet in seconds. We catch sight of cape’s, cowls, spandex or masks and you will be oh so very sorry.”

The Screen went black again and this time it was not names of heroes but family, friends, co-workers, lovers, and even pets that went across the screen,”

Lex appeared on the screen then. “I have know Clark Kent since he was 15. No cape and hair gel could fool me. Not with Jonathan Kent’s platitudes coming out of The Alien’s mouth. The only name not on this list is his. Not for fear of him but because nothing on this earth will bring harm to Martha Kent that I can control. She is the only one safe from this.

“I have no interest in your civilian lives, families or dogs. There are others who will not be so kind. Try to breech my home again and I will bar my door against the cold and ignore the starved baying of the wolves. You have already seen once what one madman can do with just one name freely given. Enjoy your lives in the clouds and leave us mere mortals be.”

The screen went black then and stayed that way.

****

“So how do you think they are taking it?” Mercy asked as Lex climbed into the helicopter handing her a takeout bag from Rose.

“Well they play gods. They never want to admit a mere mortal could be smarter than they are.”

“I know you were waiting for something special to use that.”

“I think this qualifies Mercy. This is an interesting mystery. And it will be much easier to unravel without the capes and cowls in my way.


	5. Chapter 5

Wally looked at his fellow heroes and frowned. It had been one thing when J’onn had made the suggestion in the hopes of finding a way with the least form of chaos from all the members of the league but now to outright keep such sensitive information from them.

“And what if someone goes after Luthor for something else? What if he decides that that person is our message back to him and leaks this information anyway?”

“No lesser members of the League have ever had direct dealings with Luthor. Usually it is us and they may accompany us in assistance,” J’onn pointed out.

“I still don’t like it. They should know that one of the most dangerous people on the planet has control of their lives like that. It isn’t fair that they get no say in this and will suffer the consequences just the same.”  “I say damn the consequences, let him publish that information,” Kyle snapped.

“Easy for you to say, an only child, single, hell what do you have to lose if someone decides to come after you? A job? I’m engaged, I’d like to have children some day. I have no interest in being hounded day in and out. And it wouldn’t be criminals only. Civilians would want things from you too.”

“We can’t allow this information to get out,” Bruce stated his voice leaving no room for argument.

“See, even Bruce agrees and most of his family are bat people who can take care of themselves anyway,” Wally said with a sigh his hand running along his short blond hair at increasing speeds in his agitation.

“We can not make such a decision for them. You want to go public go ahead. But don’t for one second believe that if you go public and antagonize Luthor he won’t release the names of everyone else and watch the carnage unfold from his penthouse.”

“We can not leave Clark in the hands of that madman,” Kyle said incensed.

“I know that, but we have to be intelligent about it,” Bruce explained. “We have to have a plan. We thought we could simply lift Clark out of the penthouse on the word of an EMT. We should have known Lex would move Clark to a more secure location. We should have never played our hand so soon.”

“So what you want to wait?” Ollie snarled. “I’ve seen first hand what Luthor does once he has you in his grasp and knows how do abuse your power or exploit your weakness. While we sit here and worry about ourselves and our secrets Clark is being tortured.”

“And whose fault is it that Lex has better security than most countries? Your little terrorist cell attacked him time and time again forcing him to go deeper underground, find better weapons, better defense. That device that stopped Wally, how would Lex have learned to stop a speedster? Where did he ever come in contact with one?”

Oliver glared at Bruce. “Oh now you’re blaming me for this? Where were you when Lex was kidnapping teenagers out of their beds to check for mutation? Rounding up children and adults alike round the world to see if he could harvest their abilities? Yes we hit him hard and repeatedly. We had to or Lex Luthor would be much worse today. Even then he had ways to deal with us. He always seemed to know more than he should. Like how did he know to set a trap for Wally and not Kyle?”

“What are you saying? Do you think there might be a spy here?”

“No, I think the most dangerous man on the planet finds us predictable. And that is a hell of a lot more dangerous than a spy. We are the only ones who even know what’s going on. Clark’s accident even with Lois’ story did not make major headlines. Outside of us few even know there is a connection to be made between him and Superman beyond the articles that he writes about the hero.”

“I have a more important question,” Dinah started. “how did he find out? Some of those names; they haven’t been in costume months yet he still knew who they were. Some have not even set foot back on earth since they put on the costume. Don’t dismiss the spy idea outright. There is something dangerous going on here.”

“Do you think he could have planted someone right under our noses?” Kyle asked in distain. “Maybe the training program was a bad idea.”

“No, leaving those with skills like ours untrained was a greater danger,” Diana said. “Warriors need training or they are no better then what they are fighting.”

“Diana is right. Even if Luthor did plant a spy it would not explain how he knew who we are. We don’t let everyone who joins the league know who we really are,” Bruce pointed out. “Most think I am a partial financial backer nothing more. And even that does not have my direct involvement. I will look into it.”

“So will I,” Oliver said.

“And how will you do that? They will not believe that you suddenly want to join the lower ranks and associate with the bench warmers.”

“Victor can do it.”

“He is the least hot headed of your little group,” Batman said coming as close as he would to agreement with Oliver as he would for the night.

****

Lex smirked to himself and wondered what the JLA was doing right now. If he was right they were digging their own graves. Knowing those heroes they were. Lex glanced down at Clark and frowned. His brows were furrowed and his breath was hitching. When he started to attempt to flail his arms Lex intervened holding Clark down by the shoulders his legs on either side of Clark’s body.

“Clark wake up,” Lex snapped. It took a few moments before Clark woke eyes wide and frantic before he settled on Lex.

“Lex?”

“Yes it’s me, you were moving about in your sleep. I’m sure you didn’t want to disturb the bones,” Lex said trying not to show how surprised Clark’s initial reaction was. He had relaxed at the sight of Lex, even being an indestructible alien Clark tended to never relax around him.

“My arm is already hurting,” Clark admitted softly as Lex climbed off him.

“Was it about the accident?” Lex asked.

“No,” Clark said with a frown. “I was somewhere cold, and I was being frozen alive I think. It was crawling all over my skin,” Clark shuddered.

“Ice?”

“Yeah kinda like those grow your own crystals kits, but much faster strange huh?”

“I suppose. Dreams can be odd,” Lex said picking up his laptop.

“Oh, I’m keeping you from work,” Clark said quietly turning his head away from Lex.

“Its fine Clark, I just remembered something. Nothing a quick email can’t deal with.”

“Oh okay,” Clark said turning back to Lex a smile on his face as he looked up towards the older man.

“You seem more aware,” Lex remarked as he added to his notes.

“Yeah I think I’m getting used to the medication, not that it doesn’t work or anything, but I’m not in a bubble anymore.”

“We lowered your dosage.”

“Oh,” Clark said with a slight yawn.

“Tired?”

“All I do is sleep.”

“Clark, your body went to a traumatizing experience you need the rest. And maybe you will think twice about diving in front of a car.”  
 “Worth it.” Clark said glancing at the laptop with a frown. “Lex, this is going to sound really strange but…never mind.”

“No go ahead.”

“What do you do?” Clark asked. “I mean I know you’re CEO, but what does that mean?”

Lex looked at Clark’s face and couldn’t help but laugh. Clark let out a laugh as well but winced when he felt the bruises on his abdomen and back.

“Clark you’ve known me how many years? And you ask this now?”

“In Smallville I got it about the plant. Managing it I mean. It was like mom was doing with the farm just with more people.”

“And a lot of crap.”

Clark grinned. “Don’t make me laugh. I wanna stay awake a while longer and if I laugh more Carla will make me take pain pills.”

“Sorry,” Lex said easily. “Do you like Carla?”

“Yeah, she’s sweet. She tells me about her daughter. She’s a DA,” Clark yawned again blinking slowly.

“Sleep Clark, I’ll wake you for dinner.”

Lex had barely finished the instruction before Clark drifted off again. Lex was already replaying the interaction in his mind. There were things fundamentally different about Clark, which led Lex to believe even more, with the addition of his nightmare that Clark had been altered by his fortress.

Lex had yet to decipher the location, knowing only it was in the north. Now he wondered if he wanted to know. If the technology would do such a thing to its owner, and if Lex was correct this was the second time. The last time, Clark had regained his powers through death. Even if the boy wouldn’t admit it, Lex was neither stupid nor blind.

Lex looked at his notes. Clark was human, vulnerable, and seemed to be missing all references to The Alien from his memory. But much more interesting was the fact that Clark seemed to trust him in a way he hadn’t done in years. As if without The Alien between them Clark had no reason to doubt Lex.

Lex knew better. There were other things that had nothing to do with Clark’s power. His ex-wife and the love of Clark’s young life came to the forefront of his mind. What else had Clark forgotten? And what did it truly mean for this relationship they seemed to be building.

To make matters worse, Clark still had the ability to get under his skin like no other. He had Lex laughing, joking, and Lex wondered if he was falling into the trap that was Clark Kent all over again. Bright eyed with unshakeable faith in Lex to be a good man and an even better friend.

What bothered Lex the most was the fact that there were too many holes in this. He did not know what would happen for example if Clark took a turn for the worst. Would the fortress do whatever it had done to bring Clark back to his Alien life that it had done when Clark had been shot? Once Lex had learned of the fortress Lex had finally understood how Clark had come back to life and most likely gained his mortality in the first place.

The question became was it Clark’s choice. He hadn’t interacted with Clark that first time but it was when he had been with Lana. He hadn’t acted much differently towards Lex that time. So the question became what made this time different. If the same event had happened to Clark again why were his memories altered as well?

He wondered if something could have occurred to cause a change in the way the fortress treated Clark. After his last disappearance Clark had returned and The Alien had reared its ugly head. A summer where Clark seemed to vanish off the face of the earth and when he resurfaced so appeared Superman of all things. Lex could still remember that first sighting.

The helicopter dived lower to get a better view of the action. Tilting dangerously as the part time pilot misjudged the space and banged the plane. Jerking sideways he fought to keep the plane steady not noticing for a moment that he had lost a passenger.

The screams drowned out by the whirr of the blades. Steadying the plane he shouted to who he thought was still in the plane.

“That was a close one right Lane? Lane?” He yelled turning his head to the back of the helicopter. Looking around frantically when he realized the woman was gone hoping beyond hope she was holding on to a leg. That was when he saw it and for the second time nearly lost control of the plane.

“Don’t worry Miss I’ve got you.”

“You’ve got me? But…But who’s got you?!” Lois shrieked as the man continued to fly upward his expression calm a small smile oh his face.

Lex shook his head of the memory and wondered if that had been the way Clark had planned to expose himself to the world. Clark had found himself a Daily Planet position, by meeting with Perry White and handing him the first interview with the creature the newspaper had dubbed Superman and the unholy unity of Lois and Clark had been formed.

He’d much prefer Chloe. She had enough sense to keep herself alive with out an alien shadow. Making a note to keep an eye out for the blond, he felt she was the real danger more so than any cape, Chloe would find a way to get to Clark. He wondered if Lois threw herself into danger because she expected Superman to save her or if she was stupid enough to believe that she could survive on her own.

Lex glanced down at Clark shut his laptop and planned to head down to the labs under his building when he realized despite the layout of the room he had was no longer in Metropolis. He didn’t own this entire building, just the penthouse.

He went into the living room and found Hope, Mercy, and Carla deep into a conversation that stopped once he entered.

“Am I interrupting?”  
 “Just women talk, Mr. Luthor,” Carla explained with a smile that made Lex all the more suspicious.

“Hope, Carla, keep an eye on Clark he was thrashing from a nightmare. Mercy, we need to get a handle on those meetings I’ve rescheduled. I’ve neglected work for much too long.”

“Yes, sir,” Mercy said not noticing Carla’s frown. Lex paused looking at Hope a long moment.

“Nice hair,” he said before disappearing into his study.

Hope stared after her boss’ departing form. “It’s been like this a week,” she said to the hair she had recently shorn off.

“Lex is still a male. If it hadn’t been for the color I put in it earlier he would never noticed. Now let’s go check on Clark.”

****

Victor stood on the platform of the watchtower and looked out at the Earth revolving slowing beneath them in awe. It was an amazing sight.

“Welcome to the Watchtower Victor,” Oliver said and the man nodded. “Don’t worry; I catch Wally doing that all the time.”

“Yeah I guess I should go meet the troops huh? What are we going to tell the other guys?”

“Leave that to me. Its meal time, the perfect time to do some meet and greets,” Oliver said with a smile that was barely visible though his hood. Throwing it back his green domino mask in place the two walked to the mess hall. He preferred the sunglasses but this was safer in the long run.

Cyborg stared and the volume of heroes milling about. “All of these guys?” He whispered.

“Most are still in their training capes. Hell our boyscout would still be in training if he wasn’t so damn powerful with an enemy all his own. It was the Bat’s idea, and as much as I’m loathe to admit it a good one. ”

“Then why didn’t you ever want us to come?” Victor asked.

“Do you guys need training working as a team or following orders? Excluding Bart but he’s a lost cause.”

“Maybe he should hang out with the flash.”

“If those two ever meet I want to be on the other side of the planet,” Oliver said with a shudder.

“How am I supposed to figure this out?”

“You’ll find a way. If not I’m sure the new outfit will help you pick up the ladies.”

Victor rolled his eyes at his new disguise. Coughing his voice modifier clicked into place and he looked at his changes. Lies mixed with truth. One arm was completely exposed but thanks to a Waynetech toy looked completely mechanical. His other arm was encased in the same black fabric that made the clothing for the bat family despite. Both his eyes were “artificial” glowing blue from under his own face mask, slightly larger than Oliver’s. It hand an extra camera to catch anything that Victor may have missed.

The mask as well as the outer layer of his uniform was dark blue with silver accents and his codename of all ridiculous things was A. I. he would get Oliver for this. The only perk was that some of the upgrades were real. He had a new set of toys loaded at the small of his back that he couldn’t wait to try.

Noticing a cluster of younger heroes he began to approach them until Oliver grabbed him and spun him towards the food first. “Its catered, you’ll love it.”

“What I don’t have to eat oil nuts and bolts?” Victor snapped with his new even deeper voice.

“You can if you really want to,” Oliver deadpanned before walking away. Sighing Victor rolled his eyes and headed over to the food, wishing for a moment that he really was a newly welcomed member of the Justice League training initiative instead of a pretender.

While Oliver was right and most of these people would not end being invited to join the league it was still a superhero hub. People came at went so even if A.I. vanished once he learned who the mole was the rest of those present would not be any wiser.  
 But he couldn’t think like that. There were a few telepaths here and who knew how well the scrambler worked. But combined with the fact that he though partially in code it might be fine.

“Close only counts in horseshoes,” he muttered as he filled his tray.

“Just get out of a training session with Robin? He’s worse than Batman. And he’s just a kid,” A blond girl done up in the American flag stated. “He’s always saying that.”

“Robin? No haven’t met him. I didn’t know he was a member of the League.”

“Oh he’s not he’s just a teacher though I swear he’s like 12.”  
 “But hasn’t Batman been operating with Robin for nearly eight years?”

“I didn’t mean it literally. Geez Alien or Computer?”

“Computer human hybrid why?”  
 “Its always the Aliens and Computers that just don’t get it, StarGirl by the way.”  
 “A.I.”

“Cool, I saw you talking to one of the Fellowship.”

“Fellowship?”

“Like Lord of the Rings. The Big Guns. Elf Boy, Green Arrow.”  
 “Oh, so who’s Frodo?”

“Superman.”

“Really?”

“Yeah him and Flash, Merry and Pippin by the way are the nicest.”

“What do you mean?” Victor asked as they took their seats.

“My first day here, and this is a little embarrassing. I was walking around and I got lost. I walked in on this guy, and he’s in blue jeans and a red t-shirt and all I can think is hubba hubba. He just looks at me and grins. Asks if I’m lost, gives me a grand tour then has dinner with me.”

“What does it mean?”

“Ugh, Computers, I’m getting to that. Anyway we’re playing scrabble when Batman comes in and starts yelling at him about some explosion and not waiting for backup. He’s not saying anything, and I just get so mad. So I start yelling at Batman, like ripping him a new one for being so mean to a new guy.” Victor grinned trying to imagine the diminutive blond yelling at Batman of all people.  
 “So finally he asks me if I know who I’m playing scrabble with and the guy grins holds out his hand and says ‘hi, I’m Kal.’ Like it’s no big deal. I mean come on the guy is Superman and he’s playing Scrabble with a nobody like me.”

“Are you telling the Superman story again?” A man Victor assumes is dressed in civilian clothes as he’s in a T-shirt and jeans takes a seat.

“So what if I am.”

“Well you should be ashamed to tell it. I mean how did you not know that was Superman? He doesn’t even wear a mask!” Pat exclaims to his partner.

“Well what about his secret identity?” Stargirl counters.

“He doesn’t have one. Don’t you think we would have noticed Superman walking down the street by now?”

“He’s an Alien maybe he can shape shift,” Stargirl snapped.

“Why wouldn’t he say so then?”

“Well if he can only shift into Superman and his secret identity why would he tell anyone? It helps keep his secret.”

“She has a point, though it is not in the list of his confirmed abilities. And the ability to shape shift implies less stable body mass, similar to that of the Martian Manhunter. In which case, trauma, damage, or loss of concentration would cause a loss of the shifted form,” Victor said and grinned at his connection to Google.

“Did he just agree with me and disagree with me in like the same sentence?” StarGirl asked shocked.

Pat nodded and she rolled her eyes. Darn sidekicks.

“Hi, I’m Pat or you can call me Stripe.”

“Stripe?”

“It’s shorter than Special Tactics Robotic Integrated Power Enhancer.”

That it is,” Victor agreed. “Tell me more about the Fellowship.”

“Well Gimili is out on some mission, Hawkgirl.”

“I can see that. Who’s Sam? If Superman’s Frodo? Batman?”

“No, I can’t figure that one out yet, Batman’s more the Strider type. Strong, silent, in the shadows.”

“And why is Flash both Merry and Pippin?”

“Clearly you haven’t met the Flash,” was StarGirl’s only answer and Victor’s eyes widened.

****

“So what were you discussing?” Lex asked as he took a seat at his desk.

“Well Carla over heard your comment about deciding what to do once he remembered. She decided that you had had a fight and she will do everything in her power to make sure you two are together and happy no matter what Clark remembers.”

“She would be quite the miracle worker since we aren’t together in the first place.”  
 “Yeah,” Mercy said and standing behind a seated Lex he didn’t notice her smirk.

“Should I be concerned?”

“Hope thinks it’s funny. Carla is smitten by Clark and likes you as well, so she means well and will most likely keep Hope in check. And as silly as she is behind closed doors Hope knows better than to cross the line she simply steps a toe over it from time to time.”

“And you?”

“Well I’m the spy of course,” Mercy said calmly.

“For who?” Lex asked and this time he was in time to catch the grin on his guard’s face. “Mercy.”

“You have two overseas meetings next week that can be postponed.”

“No push them up if possible,” Lex said accepting the change of subject for now. “It will be of more use to be around when he can be awake for longer. And it will throw those capes through a loop.”

Mercy’s grin was darker then and she nodded. “And the madman?”

Lex sighed. “I had forgotten about him. He’s still on the loose?”

“Biding his time I suppose,” Mercy said.

“Okay, unlike that Bat he doesn’t mind crawling out of that cesspool Gotham for time to time. Have him meet me on my way back. Schedule a layover, just enough for plausible deniability if it should go public. And tell him his bitch and her mutts are not welcome.”

“Got it.”

“Make sure he understands the word discreet or there will not be a hole deep enough that he can climb into and be safe.”

“Yes sir.”

“Are there any gala’s or events coming up that will be televised?”

Mercy frowned but quickly scrolled through her events. “That music channel is hosting its movie awards here in a few weeks. Wait, sorry that’s Metropolis, what kind of event?”

“A grand gala with wheelchair access, in four or more weeks.”

“That will be nearing summer events, it should be simple enough to find. Any charity type you prefer?”

“One of those Green New York causes would work well. Maybe a hundred thousand,” Lex mused and Mercy couldn’t hide her grin. Lex was going to make the most of this for as long as it lasted and drive the heroes and Lois Lane insane while he did it.

****

Oliver approached Batman and saw he was already watching what Victor doing out in the mess hall on a small screen that was built into his gauntlet.

“How is he doing?”

“He has connected with StarGirl.”

“Courtney? Good, that girl knows everyone; he’ll be in deep in no time.”

“Yes she is explaining the Fellowship to him.”

“I thought we talked to her about that? For weeks they kept trying to drop my hood to check for pointed ears.”

Batman said nothing as he walked away, only years as Batman keeping his smirk from his lips. He had no problems being compared to Aragorn.


	6. Chapter 6

Lex entered the penthouse Mercy trailing behind him to find laughter and what could only be a movie in the media room. He had learned that Clark had become more awake, keeping more normal hours and they had gotten him a wheelchair that Carla managed to get him into despite being over a foot shorter and about a hundred pounds lighter.

Entering the media room he saw Clark carefully propped in a seat Hope on one side Carla on the other. Clark’s face had cleared considerably and there was only one place near his jaw that was still a yellow color. He was absently scratching at the cast which implied he was healing if he felt that sensation. His good hand was being used to gesture towards the screen.

“See he’s like Lex,” Clark pointed out to the screen.

“Except that he’s poor, and the servant.”

“But he’s the older one, and look at how he never gives up, and he’s like the best best friend in the world. I mean if Lex is your friend its like,” Clark’s grin was beaming and Lex chose that moment to announce his presence.

“Hello Clark,” Lex said surprised when the grin was magnified.

“Lex! You’re back! Sit!”

“What are you watching Clark?” Lex asked not moving from his spot.

“Hm? Oh Fellowship of the Ring.”

“You’re watching Lord of the Rings? So would I be remiss in saying you were comparing me to Sam?”

“Uh maybe?” Clark questioned.

“Well as long as I’m not Boromir.”

Clark snorted. “Boromir? Falling for the call of the ring? Come on. You would look at that ring and just make a better one.” Clark frowned suddenly. “Lex do you have a ring that glows?”

Lex froze as Hope stood glancing nervously at Mercy, who shook her head imperceptibly. He slid into the chair besides Clark. “A glowing ring?”

“Yeah, green…oh sorry Green Lantern? That’s real right? I’m not imagining it? Seriously how hard did I hit my head?”

“You’re not crazy there is a grown man running around in green spandex with a green ring. More importantly how am I like Samwise Gamgee?”

Clark blushed as Lex watched him before peering up at him through a fringe of hair. “So how was London?”

“Tokyo. And you’re changing the subject, why Sam, not Aragorn…”

“Oh please, like you would hide the fact that you were royalty.”

“He’s got you there boss,” Hope chimed in.

“And Arwen…well I guess she’s sorta your type with the dark hair and being the best out there,” Clark said with a shrug not noticing Carla’s frown. “But she doesn’t try to kill Aragorn, so hmm.”

“Samwise Clark.”

“It fits, even if you aren’t the hero cause really, even Frodo fell for the ring and Gollum. Gollum? He’s like drawn evil!”

“Drawn evil?”

“Like Disney movies, the bad guy always looks it. Scar, Jafar, Mortimer, Cruella de Ville, though with a name like Cruella…” Lex shook his head being drawn back to years ago in Smallville and movie conversations that they would have. He wondered if Clark remembered comparing him to Faramir the first time they saw these movies.

“Clark you have clearly had too much time to think about this. What have you been doing besides watching movies?”

“Uh watching TV?” Clark said sheepishly.

Lex pulled the remote glancing at the scene where Frodo pulls Sam out of the water. “If that was a Porsche we might have something there.”

Clark grinned. “So I’m Frodo?”

“Who else would you be? You even apparently visit the same hairstylist,” Lex said running his fingers through the wild curls. Clark smiled leaning into the touch.

“Well Hope said I was Legolas, stand there, look pretty, and keep the fellowship alive. Sounds kinda like her job description,” Clark added in a mock whisper and a popcorn kernel hit him in the head. “I’m wounded!” Clark exclaimed and Lex was surprised. He hadn’t been sure if the relationship Clark had begun to form with Hope would continue now that he was lucid. He was interested to see how well he would react to Mercy.  
 ”We’ll get you some books lest the TV rot your brain,” Lex said with a sigh. “Maybe a laptop, I suppose you would like to keep your job at the planet.”

“Yeah that would be nice,” Clark smiled and placed a hand on Lex’s shoulder. “I’m glad your back.”

“Me too Clark.”

“So tell me about your trip?”

Lex thought about his trip and the fact that he had been corned in Paris by a very irritating Chloe Sullivan who had been forewarned by her cousin.

“I know you don’t think you can get away with this.”

“How lovely to see you too Ms. Sullivan, its so nice to see a familiar face so far from home,” Lex drawled at his seat a simple hand gesture keeping Mercy at bay. “Espresso?”

“How can you do this? Clark was your friend once.”

“What am I doing exactly? Having a business meeting in Paris?” Lex asked after a tiny sip.

“You’re hurting Clark, and I’m going to stop you.”

“Wouldn’t Clark have to be near me for my causing him pain?”

“You’ve left him with you scientists, or that other automaton that follows you around.”

“Hope is not an automaton though things would be much simpler if she was. As I told Lois, Clark has not requested your presence and until he does I will not subject Clark to your asinine theories.”

“You can’t hold someone against their will.”

“Has someone besides Lois Lane, who has a personal vendetta against me I might add told you that I am holding Clark against his will?”

“Well who am I going to ask Clark?”

“There is this wonderful new device called a cellular phone. You are a reporter why not look into that?” Lex said easily as Chloe’s mouth open and shut a few times before standing and walking off in a huff.

“It was completely boring,” Lex said turning to the television to watch the rest of the movie with Clark even as he knew there wasn’t much left to watch.

****

“There is something wrong with that kid,” Victor complained as he gathered his lunch after a training session that he had experienced with Robin, who seemed of all irritating things to be about Victor’s age or younger.

Courtney grinned. “I told you. One scary kid, but being bat Jr. I guess it makes sense. But he can be funny too. “

“You are nothing more than a flower sniffing lily livered pansy.”

“Oh and I guess you are so great, oh let’s hit first, hit again, hit some more and when everyone is out try to ask a question or two.”

“Guys!” Courtney shouted with a shake of her head. “A.I. meet Hawk and Dove. A lovely pair of bickering brothers.”

“A.I. like the movie?”

“Do I look like a creepy kid to you?” Victor snapped wondering how he could make Oliver pay for this.

“Sorry,” Dove said with a roll of his eyes as he sat down.

“He’s integrating well, ” Oliver stated walking in on Batman watching Victor’s interactions.

“He’s has yet to meet a single person on the suspect list,” Batman growled.

“Hey guys,” Flash said entering the room. “I’ve been thinking about this, and there’s a big gap in this.

“And what is that?”

“He knew who we are. None of the kids know who we are.”

“He knows, or at least suspects who I am,” Oliver admitted.

“I’ve interviewed Clark on the other effects of the kryptonite that he knows of.”

“Why you?” Oliver asked. Batman didn’t bother to respond, not about to admit that Lex Luthor wasn’t the only one who had the means to destroy the man of steel.

“You would have to ask him, but he was once submerged in a vat of a solution made of Kryptonite, that pulled memories from his mind against his will, there is no reason to believe that he did not get our names and have his spy provide the rest. Even things that he did not consciously remember which seems to be the case now.”

“A vat of it? How did he survive?”

“Luthor saved him.”

“Lex Luthor?” Flash asked in disbelief. “His arch-nemesis, sworn to destroy him Lex Luthor.”

“He did not explain further,” Batman said remembering that night, when he had instead changed the subject to the other colors of Kryptonite. Red was a color he hoped he never encountered. “If Victor does not gather some useful information soon we may have to pull him.”

“Why? He just started,” Oliver said with as raised brow.

“And if this spy finds his identity out and feeds it to Luthor? Or worse yet if the spy feeds the information to Luthor and he figures out what we are trying and decides it’s a breech of his little blackmail arrangement?”

“Who did you think funded his creation in the first place?” Oliver snapped. “He knows who he is, as well as Bart, and AC, but I doubt he knew about me until later. Sometime around my third reappearance, besides the spy would only be able to find out his fabricated identity.”

“Well if you weren’t so blatant as to disappear and reappear within hours of each other maybe.”

“Well not all of us have the opportunity to be reclusive billionaires, with a camera shy alter ego. You spent years being a whispered thing that only criminals and some victims saw. Thanks to Lois I appeared with a bang and it never slowed down.”

****

Lois got off the curb and raised her hand to hail a cab with determination, wondering why she had not thought of this sooner. She would have come sooner if Perry hadn’t forced her to drop it. Instead she had spent the last couple weeks pretending to research the disappearance of Superman.

Something that simply led to dead ends, you would have thought he was Elvis with all the false sightings. She had nothing concrete to go on. And it was driving her insane. Why he had not even told her he may be going away he couldn’t understand.

She took a cab to meet Mrs. Kent wondering what hell she would help her rain down on Lex once she found out that the man had the nerve to take her only son. Lois was grinning in the back of the cab in a way that made the driver completely nervous and he had never been more relieved to discharge a passenger.

Entering the café she spotted a couple other senators and wondered what stories she could get while here, keeping her ears open for interesting leads while she scanned the patrons for the redhead. She spotted her to the side in an unassuming grey skirt suit with a pale pink blouse. She wore little makeup and looked very professional to Lois’ eyes.

“Mrs. Kent.”

“Hi Lois, I’m surprised to see you this far from Metropolis. Is there a major scandal I should be worried about?”

“No I’m here about Clark.”

“Clark? What is the problem?”

“The problem? The problem is that Lex Luthor kidnapped him.”

“Lois honey are you feeling alright? I talked to Clark about an hour ago. He’s at Lex’s penthouse. Lex hired a lovely nurse to take care of him. He even emailed me her references. She’s helped a couple of colleagues, I couldn’t ask for better.”

“Lex hates Clark!”

“Lois dear, Lex is a passionate man, he’s angry at Clark yes but he will not let something like that keep him from helping Clark at a time like this. He has done nothing outrageous. Why haven’t you talked to Clark?” Martha asked placing a hand on Lois’.

“How would I do that?”  
 ”Well he said Lex was lending him a laptop, and he called me from his cell phone.”

“His phone went straight to voicemail! For days!”

“They had forgotten about it. You have to admit a cell phone wasn’t their major concern, and Clark has just recently become lucid for longer then an hour or two. Lois are you sure this is about Clark?”

“Of course this is about Clark, Lex Luthor is a mad man, the things he’s done. The things he’s tried to do. And now there is no one here to stop him.”

“Lois have you learned anything about Superman’s disappearance?”

“No! Everything is a dead end or some bored idiot making up a sighting to get their ten minutes of fame.”

“Lois do you think maybe you are pressing this issue about Clark so hard because you can’t do anything about Superman? I know you had feelings for him, but Lois he was never yours; we never really knew where he came from. He was a good thing, but nothing lasts forever.”

“But he’s just gone! No one vanishes like that. Why didn’t he say something. Why didn’t he tell me?!”

“Lois, you have to remember he wasn’t human. I know you didn’t spend as long in Smallville as the rest of us but you must have noticed this as well, people who has such great abilities didn’t act like the rest of us.”

“He wasn’t a psycho murder, or obsessed with Lana Lang of all things,” Lois snapped.

“Which was better for us, I don’t know what we would have done if he was more dangerously inclined. But because he was a hero does not mean that he thought the same way we did. Come on Lois how many people do you know who had that kind of power wouldn’t abuse it? Its even more proof that he wasn’t like us.

“Its possible he never understood how you felt.”

“But he was so kind…”

“Lois he visited children hospitals and spent hours with the children, they loved him. He declined meeting with world leaders refusing to show any cultural favoritism and was seen building sand castles with the children living in a dictatorship. He refused to answer to a government but made it clear that Metropolis was his home.”

“Are you calling me some kin d of child?”

“I don’t know but you did need an inordinate amount of rescuing, maybe he was fond of you, but just not the way you wanted him to be. He despite his appearance was not a man, and who knows what your relationship to him meant to him.”

“So you think I should stop looking for him?”

“No I think Lois the woman needs to step aside for the reporter and make like a reporter and find out where the most powerful being on earth got off to. I also think you need to talk to Clark and let go of these ideas of him being attacked. It could hurt your career if you keep throwing out outlandish accusations.”

Lois sighed and looked at her nails, not willing to admit Perry had been telling her the same things.

*****

Clark stared at his cell phone and sighed. He had turned it on to find out he had over 40 messages and even more missed calls. All of them were from either Chloe or Lois, he decided to call Chloe first, she was farther away and her voice wasn’t half as irritating.

“What is with the face?” Lex asked coming into the room a laptop under his arm.

“I listened to my messages.”

“Your mother?”

“No I talked to mom already; these are much scarier than mom.”

“Chloe?”

“And Lois.”

“You have to face them sometime, and do you really want to do it in person?”

“Good point,” Clark said reaching for the phone as it rang. His eyes widened upon seeing the caller id but with a sigh answered. “Hello Lois.”

“Smallville! What the hell is going on?!”

Wincing Clark pulled the phone slightly away from his ear. “What do you mean?”

“Luthor kidnapped you!”

Clark grinned, “Lois Lex didn’t kidnap me. I mean really, would I be on the phone with you if he did? He’s just helping me until I get back on my feet.”

“Then where the hell are you? Why all the secrecy? Why haven’t you contacted me?”

“Lois, I had problems staying awake. Sorry if you weren’t the first thought that crossed my mind. You knew I was with Lex, why didn’t you ever call him? No you call Chloe who’s on the other side of the ocean for what? I’ve been on pain killers and had a concussion. Sorry if you weren’t my number one priority, Lex is not Satan,” Clark snapped using his cheek to shut the flip phone with one hand and setting it in his lap.

“She makes me so angry sometimes.”

Lex nodded and considered his words for a moment. “Will you call Miss Sullivan?”

“In a while I don’t want to take this out on Chloe,” Clark said looking at Lex.

“Well you can write Miss Sullivan an email if you wish. It happens to be an ungodly hour in Paris at the moment,” Lex said holding out a laptop.

“Don’t you need this for work?”

“It’s a spare,” Lex said with a wave of his hand.

“For when you throw the other one across the room?” Clark asked with a grin.

“Brat,” Lex returned.

“Lex want to be my secretary?” Clark asked batting his eyes innocently while holding up his enclosed hand.

“Sure Clark,” Lex said with a sigh taking a seat on his bed sitting besides Clark and taking the laptop back. “You have to log in.”

“C.kent at daily planet dot org. My password is still generic, planet.”

“You’ve been there two years Clark.”

“I don’t really use my work email much and it’s usually up at the office anyway. And Lois can’t figure out my password since she’s sure I changed it.”

“Well aren’t you the devious one,” Lex grinned logging onto the remote email. Clark looked over at the screen and saw a few he might read later.

“Chloe is in my contacts.”

“Subject?”

“Um…hi?”

“Only you Clark.” Clark glanced down at what Lex typed and grinned.

“No editing?”

“I’ve seen your emails,” Lex said with a wry smile.

“Fine. Hmm ok, uh…Hi Chloe. How’s Paris? Everything is fine here except your cousin is insane. I mean really Lex isn’t evil incarnate. It’s not his fault I was too slow when I pushed him out of the way of a car. What did Lois want him to do? Dump me at Metropolis General? Lex is helping and I wish you could get her off my case.

“Don’t worry about me, I have DVD’s and Carla to keep me company, she’s a nurse Lex hired for me and also trained in physical therapy. It will be better to send me emails since I doubt I will turn my phone back on except to call my mom. Lois gave me a headache.

“Uh I think that’s it. Don’t type that Lex!” Lex hit delete typed in Clark’s name and hit send. “Thanks Lex.”

“Sure Clark, you may want to compose an email to Mr. White, if you want to keep your job. Now that Lois knows you are lucid I’m sure she will be raging about you going back to work in no time.”

“Well the planet is wheelchair accessible.”

“And you can barely type, I’ve also seen the things you run around doing, you are in no state to work, especially with that partner of yours who finds risking her life such an amusing pastime.”

“We’ll she lasted this long.”

“Yes one would think she had a guardian angel,” Lex said carefully watching Clark for a reaction.

“They would have to be an angel to put up with her regularly,” Clark muttered.

“How did you two ever become partners?”

“We…we were working on the same story? Wow, it feels like ages ago. I can’t remember,” Clark said. “Ugh, I’m the only one who can deal with her for an extended period of time.”

“Maybe you are an angel then Clark.”

Clark snorted and leaned back on the bed looking up at Lex. “Sure, Lex aren’t I in your bed?”

“Yes why?”

“Why is it that you never sleep in it then?”

“I sleep Clark, just not as much as you,” Lex replied calmly.

“In here?”

“Yes Clark.”

“Ok, um Lex are you seeing anyone?”

“Not at the moment,” Lex said wondering where Clark was going with this train of thought.

“Um, maybe I should move to a guest room.”

“Why? I like you where I can keep an eye on you.”

Clark grinned. “Don’t fire her but Carla thinks we’re dating.”

“Oh is that all?”

“You knew?”

“Yes.”

“How’d you figure it out, you weren’t even around.”

“Clark, you were asleep for a lot of the time. She told me, you were such a sweet boy and I was lucky to be in a relationship with you. How did you figure it out?”

“The giggling between her and Hope was a big hint, and all the questions about what you liked. Carla was way too happy about what I knew.”

“I see.”

“Lex are you laughing at me? You’re laughing!” Clark exclaimed. Lex smiled simply and said nothing. “Fine, why are you okay with being my boyfriend?”

“Carla bases her reputation on being discreet, this is one rumor that would come from no where else,” Lex said simply.

“Except half of Smallville,” Clark muttered.

“What was that?” Lex asked and Clark groaned.

Lex smiled and ruffled Clark’s hair. “I’ll send in Carla sweetheart.”

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”

“Why wouldn’t I enjoy spending my free time with the man that I love?”

Clark groaned and pulled the blanket over his head hoping Lex would get the hint. Sighing when Lex pulled it away. “Don’t I get a kiss?” He asked sweetly.

“Bite me Lex.”

“None of that until you’re better Clark,” Lex said delighting in his blush.

Heading to his office he pretended to not notice Hope and Carla slip into the room. Instead he shut the door and looked over at Mercy.

“Well Sir?”

“False alarm, he doesn’t remember the ring. Or much hero related. Though he has figured out Carla and Hope think we are dating.”

“I suppose he’s not a complete moron.”

“He does have a Pulitzer.”

“For an interview he wrote about himself, with an interview with himself,” Mercy sneered.

“Quite devious of him actually,” Lex remarked and Mercy shook her head.

“Have you figured out what happened to him?”

“His memory is full of holes, all centered around that sanctimonious alien. I want to wait a little longer but I’m tempted to show him some images of himself. But I would rather start with something less startling.”

“Like?”

“Do you actually think the Justice League will back down for long Mercy?”


	7. Chapter 7

Mercy entered the penthouse bags of takeout in hand to a sound that had become somewhat common place as of late; laughter. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about this new found relationship and the changes she could see in Lex but the changes in Clark seemed to be all for the better.

She nodded to Hope as she answered and the newer guard grinned and came over to take a bag. She still couldn’t believe the change that had come over her the last couple of weeks thanks mostly due to Carla.

Mercy had been quite surprised when the woman had pulled her aside for a one on one when Hope had been sent on another food run.

“Mercy can I speak to you for a moment?” Carla asked softly.

Mercy had shrugged, glanced over at Lex who was running his fingers through Clark’s hair as he watched CNN as the man slept not that she blamed Clark CNN bored her to tears too. It was a scene she had walked in on quite often now that Lex had returned from his two week world tour of sorts.

“Yes Carla? Is there a problem?”

“Yes, it’s Hope.”

“What do you mean? What has she done?” Mercy asked.

“The way you and Lex treat her. I know she is new in her position but Mr. Luthor does not seem the kind to hire talent that is lacking.”

“He wouldn’t what’s your point?”

“You and Mr. Luthor treat her like the slow child. She rarely escorts him anywhere; she feels as if she is nothing but extra space and in her words could be replaced by a cardboard cutout. The only people who pay any true attention to her are Clark and I.”

“I pay attention to Hope.”

“Only to order or degrade her. You show more consideration for me,” Carla pointed out.

“What do you expect me to do? She is reckless and I will not put Lex’s life in her hands unsupervised.”

“I will not tell you how to do your job, I am not nor have I ever been a bodyguard. But I do deal with people in situations where they feel foolish enough without my making it worse. Treat her better, talk to her, ask her opinion even if you do not take it, tell her why kindly. Stop making her your takeout man.”

“For security purposes we can’t have delivery men…”

“There is only one person whose legs are broken in this penthouse,” Carla said looking at Mercy pointedly.

“But I…”

“Who went on these runs before Hope was hired? That’s what I thought,” Carla said with a smirk at the expression on Mercy’s face before returning to her article about implementing yoga into physical training.

 

“I’ll get the boys,” Mercy said as she settled the food on the counter and left Hope to sort it out. Pausing at the door to the media room hearing what could only be a bizarre conversation.

“Yeah, afterwards you can beat up the hooker and get your money back, and some extra,” coming from all places Clark Kent.

“I’m not sure this game is a good influence on you Clark,” Lex said as Mercy entered the room to see controllers in each of their hands. Clark having been freed earlier this week from his arm cast wasted no time in starting to play somehow managing to drag Lex down with him.

“What game is this?” Mercy asked.

“Grand Theft Auto,” Clark said with a smile. “If you can wrestle the controller from Lex we can play.

“I’m fine thanks, but the food is here.”

“Thanks Mercy, can you send in Carla?” Lex asked.

“I can do it Lex,” Clark said irritated.

“Clark you have had your arm for less than a week, and it’s been weeks since you used it to heft anything let alone your bulk.”

“Are you calling me fat?” Clark asked in a high pitched shriek.

“I’m calling you a farm boy who likes his pie,” Lex replied with an eye roll.

“I’m starting to see where the murder attempts came in,” Clark muttered as Lex moved around him to start putting away the game and its parts.

“Ha ha,” Lex said as Carla entered and moved the wheelchair closer to the couch and locked it into place before helping Clark back into the chair.

“You need to eat more, you’re getting lighter,” Carla warned yet again. “No need for the both of you to look half starved.”

“Lex is a bit skinny isn’t he,” Clark stage whispered.

“A bit? I’ve seen larger supermodels.”

“Well let’s go fill him up,” Clark said carefully turning in the direction of the kitchen and slowly rolling himself there. Carla followed at his side watching his progress and Lex took up the lead glad he did when he saw Hope sorting through the bags on the counter that was much too high for Clark and would cause a bout of anger.

Quickly moving into the kitchen he grabbed two bags and placed them on the table as Mercy watched catching on she gathered the half open containers and moved them as well and Hope slid off the counter with the last container.

Clark rolled into the kitchen just as Lex moved to the refrigerator to get drinks and Hope went to gather more utensils and glasses. Clark grabbed the nearest box and opened it taking out what he thought was chicken until he tasted it.

“Who got tofu?” He asked swallowing the bit of bean curd.

“I did,” Carla said taking the box. Opening the next he found Lex’s dumplings. Snagging one with a chopstick he grinned.

“Clark, I know I asked if you wanted your own dumplings.”

“But yours taste better,” Clark said as Lex stood In front of his chair. Eating the dumpling he grabbed another and held it out to Lex.

Leaning forward with a roll of his eyes Lex took the dumpling in one swift bite. Clark grinned at Lex who moved to take his dumplings back; Clark held the food away from Lex wheeling himself backwards.

“Clark, my dumplings,” Lex said placing and hand on each of the arm rests of the chair to keep him in place. Clark grins up at Lex and pulls him closer by his tie and places a kiss on his lips. Clark’s world narrows to Lex’s lips and can’t believe how good it feels. But of course this is Lex and he wouldn’t be anything but perfect.

Clark pulled Lex down onto his lap to deepen the kiss and let loose a moan. “Clark-“

“Lex,” Clark whispered against his throat.

“Clark!”  
 ”Wha-“ Clark gasped blinking to see Lex leaning over him, bottle of water in his hands.

“Good dream?” Lex asked with smirk and Clark blushed trying not to think about the dream or about Lex’s lips. “I thought video games would be more engaging.”

“I fell asleep?” Clark asked blinking.

“Just for a couple of minutes, I was wondering what was taking you so long,” Lex said easily and began to push Clark towards the kitchen.

“And what were you two doing?” Hope asked with a smirk. “Look at him blush!” She added with a grin.

“I fell asleep,” Clark said annoyed.

“Sleep? Hmm-“

“Interesting as that is, I would like to eat before my dumplings get cold.”

“Dumplings?” Clark squeaked.

“Oh no you don’t Clark, I got you your own,” Lex said popping open a plastic lid and with a nod handing it over to Clark. “Pouting will not work.”

“I’m not pouting.”

Mercy snorted and Clark looked at her wide eyed. “Mercy!”

“Geez those are some puppy dog eyes,” Hope said even as Carla awed.

“Leave the poor boy alone, they do not flaunt their affection, of course he’s going to be a little embarrassed,” Carla said with a soft smile at Clark. And despite the glaring differences between the two women, Clark was reminded of his mother and he grinned at her.

****

“Nothing,” Victor said sinking into a chair in Oliver’s office. “I’ve been there over a month and the only thing I’ve learned is how green most of these people are.”

“Well, we’ve been watching your video, and we aren’t picking anything up. Though, three people have approached us feeling that you are asking too many questions and may have an ulterior motive in coming here.”

Victor snorted. “StarGirl?”

“No, interestingly enough.”

“Has there been any progress on Clark?”

“Nothing new, we know they are in New York, but that is all. We are still trying to get to the nurse he’s hired but a first name isn’t a lot to go on. She is most likely employed by LuthorCorp but we are hoping to find out more.”

“We know what Lex is like. What he will do to Clark and we’ve left him there for a month.”

“Our hands are tied, unless we want the names of everyone who has gone through here posted on the web, all over the news, and the like we can’t go near them.”

“Can’t we send someone else? Chloe?”

“She has mysteriously gotten high profile assignments, which are keeping her busy. Assignments that run into each other and because Clark emails her every few days, she thinks we are crazy. That and the weekly calls to Martha Kent, which are varied enough to not be recordings of some kind.”

“So he’s alright?”

“No, the one thing we have confirmed is that there is something wrong with his memory. We asked Chloe to ask him a few pointed questions, about their time in Smallville and he had no idea about the role he played in some things.”

“Really?”

“It gets better, he only remembers me as the guy that dated Lois for a while,” Oliver said with a grin.

Victor laughed outright at that. “Well I suppose that is something unforgettable.”

“Thanks, she was perfectly fine as a girlfriend.”

“Sure, so does this mean that I’m not going back?”

“You have one week to finish your training, do that then we’re done. No reason to make anyone wonder about you any more than they already are.”

“But we’re no closer to getting Clark,” Victor said with a sigh.

“No we just have to accept the fact that he isn’t being harmed. What Lex is trying to pull; I have no idea. But for now Clark is safer than we are.”

Victor nodded wondering of Bart had had the right idea until A.C. had talked him out of it. Rushing in and simply grabbing Clark. The hope being that once he was out of the sphere of influence of Lex his memory and powers would return.

“Fine but the second we can get him out of there I’m ready,” Victor said standing.

“Thanks Victor, let’s hope it’s soon.”


	8. Chapter 8

Clark stared longingly at his crutches; across the room in Carla’s hands, he felt as if the Grand Canyon was between the two of them. It did not help that standing here leaning heavily on Lex he was immensely comfortable.

Comfort, which was the only reason he didn’t want to move. It wouldn’t matter who was holding him, Clark tried to convince himself. Nodding at Lex he forced himself to his feet. He could do this. He had been walking for as long as he could remember.

There was no secret to it. One foot in front of the other, the floor was padded in case he fell, not to mention he had Lex on one side and bar on the other. The room reminded Clark mostly of a dance studio. With the floor to ceiling mirrors and hardwood high shine floors in the area without the padding.

He could not hurt himself. It was completely unlikely. Yet he was nervous. He had been a week out of his chair. Making his way around the penthouse with his crutches, though he had not tried stairs yet; he had even mastered the balancing act it took to relieve himself.

“Clark it’s all right. We can do this tomorrow,” Lex said softly.

“No, I can do it,” Clark said his cheeks coloring as he remembering the sight of Lex that morning, dressed only in a pair of low hung sweat pants, he had been moving his body in slow precise movements that even Clark could see meant a level of control Clark could only dream to have even before this accident.

“Can…can you show me what you did this morning?” Clark asked suddenly.

“Tai Chi? Sure Clark, but you will need to be walking first,” Lex added with a smile.

“I know.”

“Lex, if you are not helping Clark-“

“He’s helping really.”

“Maybe it would be a better motivation if Lex were over here.”

“No!” Clark blushed. “I mean no, this is fine. I’m ready.”

“Okay Clark, I’m going to let go,” Lex said gently. Clark nodded though the moment Lex lessened his grip he held onto the bar for dear life. Lex reached for him again but stopped as Carla held up an arm.

Clark slowly took one hand off the bar and turned to face forward. After a shaky step he lifted his other hand though kept it about an inch from the bar. He made it about three steps before the floor started to move up to meet him. Before he had a chance to hit the floor he was wrapped in strong arms and settled down onto the padding.

“Thanks,” Clark said as Lex sat down beside him.

“It was nothing,” Lex said looking up at Carla who approached them.

“Clark, as trite as this sounds the first step is the hardest. I’ve had patients who took weeks to remove both hands from the bar and actually take a step. You are progressing in leaps and bounds.”

“Faster than normal?” Lex asked calmly.

“No just braver than normal,” Carla said with a smile.

“Well one thing Clark is not lacking, is excess bravery.”

“Why does that feel like an insult?” Clark asked giving Lex a look.

“No idea what you mean Clark,” Lex said hiding his grin.

“Do you see this Carla? It’s just not fair.”

“Let’s get you back on your feet,” Carla said instead.

“More walking?” Clark asked looking at the crutches she had left across the room.

“More walking.”

“But you said I-“

“All the more reason to continue right?” Carla said sharing a smile with Lex.

“You’re all against me,” Clark whined as he allowed Lex to pull him back to his feet.

“It’s not that far Clark, look how far you have already made it,” Lex said with a smirk indicating the three or so feet he had already walked.

“I hate you,” Clark said with a sigh.

“Of course you do, now walk.”

“This would be so much easier if I could fly,” Clark said not noticing how Lex stiffened.

“Not everyone’s Superman Clark, I want you across the room in the next hour,” Carla said with a smile.

“Nietzsche?” Clark whispered to Lex.

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied loosening his hold some as Clark reoriented himself with the bar. Tightening said hold when Clark lurched dangerously.

“I’m okay,” Clark said softly, smiling when Lex’s fingers brushed gently through his hair.

“I’ll send for your mother’s pie if you make it to Carla in the hour,” Lex said. Clark stared at Lex wide eyed before taking a shaky step forward.

Lex smiled watching Clark move slowly across the wall. For someone who used to be able to circle the globe in seconds this had to be excruciating. Then again Clark had no recall of being able to do this; and as the months passed Lex stopped believing he ever would.

It was interesting to say the least to learn that without his secret he and Clark would have remained friends. Lex wasn’t sure there wouldn’t have been something else to draw them apart; then again if Clark was human they would have both died that day on the bridge.

*****

As Clark slept exhausted from his physical therapy, exhausting, for a body that had not been in motion for weeks; Lex paced. He had finally begun to accept the fact that Clark was indeed fundamentally different than he had ever been.

And it did not look like Clark was going to be changing back any time soon. There were aspects of his memory that had been fundamentally altered in such a way that it benefited Lex. It was almost as if he had done it himself.

Casting one last look at a slumbering Clark Lex made his way out of the room. “Mercy, Hope, my office, he glanced around and noticed Carla was gone.

“She’s gone home for the night,” Lex nodded.

“We have quite a few things. I think it’s time we went back to Metropolis. I have some anonymous information that should fall into the right hands, clean up the less than savory dealings in the town. And we will need to take down the lead panels and Kryptonite shielding on the penthouse.”

“What?” Hope asked surprised. “I know he seems nice now, but what’s to say he won’t switch back?”

Mercy was too busy looking through the list of dealing that Lex wanted cleaned up. “What if someone points back at you?”

“I’d like to see them show any proof of my involvement. I’m sure a LexCorp employee or two are of questionable business practices but I can not track every employee or every move they make. Especially when they are not working, of course I will be appalled.”

“Boss, how will we do this? Are you going to move back into the penthouse during the demolition?”

“I’d rather not deal with chance of exposure, Hope you will supervise, while Mercy drops off the package to our ace reporter. Make sure the proper precautions are taken, we do not need a new batch of the meteor infected.”

“Sir, I supervised the installation, I would be able to make sure-“

“Hope is perfectly capable of this task. I do not hire deficient workers.”

“Who will be with you?” Hope asked.

“You will be gone for two to three days at the most. Mercy one, Charity will be spending the day off site, as we prepare for my return and some meetings, and the changes in staff that I will need soon. As well as the disbandment of section S17. She will be more than adequate protection for a few hours.”

“She’s been behind a desk too long, I can do both jobs, and Hope can protect you, better than that bottle blond.”

Lex smiled. “I suppose you are right, you will leave in the morning Mercy.” Both Mercy and Hope blinked. Mercy nodded and turned walking briskly out of the room as Hope stared. “Sometimes you have to force people to admit things that are obvious.”

“Charity was never going to come was she?”

“Oh no, we do have a meeting about some of the visitors that LexCorp has been having, and I will be dismantling section S17, but you were never going to Metropolis.”

“Well it’s not saying much, Charity is a sectary.”

“The last time Charity and Mercy sparred it was a draw,” Lex pointed out organizing folders on his desk.

“Wow.”

“But Charity can barely hit the broad side of a barn.”

“Why did you hire her?” Hope asked.

“She has other talents,” Lex said vaguely.

Coming from another man the line would have been lewd and disgusting especially having seen Charity; coming from Lex she wouldn’t be surprised if the diminutive blond could shoot laser beams from her eyes.

“And I bet I never want to come up against these talents.”

“Not if you value your soul,” Lex said sweeping out of the room.

*****

“Lois, are you sure this is a good idea?” Jimmy asked as he followed her down the hall to the cancer ward.

“This is the best idea. Clark will be back at his desk faster than you can say stop the presses.”


	9. Chapter 9

Lex had decided to not mask his return to Metropolis from the League. This had the side effect of him being met by the press on the tarmac. Though press may have been too loose a term, these were the vultures, the society pages, the tabloids, he was sure something about lost son returning would be in the presses by the evening edition.

“Ladies first,” Lex said as the stairs to his private jet opened. Mercy scowled as she stomped out, Carla smiling and following next. When Lex glanced at Hope she crossed her arms in irritation.

“Let her do her job Lex,” Clark said his crutches under each arm though Carla had said he was ready for a cane today.

Lex let Clark go first watching as he progressed slowly down the stairs ignoring the cameras, some of which flashed, he stumbled slightly at the bottom but Lex saw he quickly regained his balance and with Mercy’s help slid into the car.

Lex was halfway down the stairs before the cameras seem to realize Clark wasn’t the story.

“Mr. Luthor!”

“Mr. Luthor!”

“Mr. Luthor! Who’s the pretty boy?”

“Mr. Luthor! What have you to say about the change in direction of LuthorCorp?”

“Mr. Luthor! What is the green initiative?”

“I’ll be having a press conference to discuss all relevant business questions soon,” Lex said hiding his frown when he saw one of the reporters, was half leaning into the limo and touching Clark’s hair with a clearly seductive grin.

“Ms. Grant,” Lex said coldly.

“Hey Lexie, I was just telling Clarkie here how much everyone misses him.”

Hope moved between Lex and Cat and smiled dangerously. “Move it or lose it,” she said as she cracked her knuckles. Cat swallowed and stepped back as Lex slid into the limo besides Clark, followed by Hope.

The door to the limo shut before Clark gave up and burst into laughter. “What is so funny Clark?”

“I know Cat can be a bit much but, no making her disappear,” Clark said still smiling.

“I would do no such thing.”

“Let me rephrase that, no making it so she could never work in Metropolis again.”

“He’s got you there boss,” Hope said and Lex looked to Mercy who was smirking.

“You are causing insubordination.”

“Oh, I’m sure Hope was doing just fine without me.”

“Why do I put up with you?” Lex asked with a put out sigh.

“Because I’m you’re bestest friend in the world,” Clark said batting his lashing and leaning against Lex.

“I see.”

“So are we going to my place?” Clark asked looking out the limo window by leaning across Lex who simply inhaled Clark’s scent.

“You, are never going to that cesspool again.”

“But-“

“Mercy will pick up any remaining suitable clothing, and mementos. I can’t believe you lived in Suicide Slums.”

“It was a nice place after I fixed it up.”

“Clark, a chalk outline being a permanent fixture of your neighborhood does not equate nice.”

“You just want to keep me in your bed,” Clark said blushing when he realized what it sounded like.

“If that is the only way to keep you out of trouble I am willing to make sacrifices,” Lex said and Clark suddenly peered at Lex feeling the weight of those words.

“Lex?” Clark asked sitting up.

“Yes Clark?”

“What’s the green initiative?”

“Going to write an article?”

“Maybe, tell me what it is.”

“I’ll tell you when we get inside. I have some files to go along with it.”

“Does this have anything to do with your meeting with the Mayor?”

“Possibly.”

Clark rolled his eyes and stretched his legs out. “It’s sad that this is the only one of your cars I can fit in.”

“Clark, I’m six feet, and I fit just fine.”

“Whatever,” Clark said with a sigh glancing at the silent women. Mercy was calmly ignoring them, Carla reading a paper, and Hope was playing a video game. Clark took his position on Lex’s shoulder. Feeling eyes on him he looked at Lex.

“Just don’t drool on me.” To this Clark stuck out his tongue, before shutting his eyes. Lex watched him for a few seconds before staring ahead. Clark would love the Green initiative, so he had put together a portfolio for him waiting in the penthouse that could be his return piece to the Daily Planet.

Lex was more curious to why Clark seemed insistent, on spending time with him and touching him. Like this impromptu nap, he knew Clark wasn’t actually tired, it was only noon and they had been in the air less than three hours. He had already accepted that Clark cuddled in his sleep.

Clark was many things, but subtle was not one of them or he might believe he was being covertly courted. He tried to remember if Clark was as physical during their friendship and short of a few hugs each for enormous reasons; returning from the dead and the like. The most Clark had done had been to stand closer to him than others.

Lex wondered vaguely if this was tied to the memory lost when he noticed Mercy smirking at him. He raised his eyebrow and she pointed to the hand that had found its way into Clark’s hair. Lex rolled his eyes but refused to move his hand not about to admit to Mercy he hadn’t known he was doing it.

Carla was giving him a faint smile, and Hope after glancing up returned to her game. Lex realized with a start the only thing that concerned him about Clark’s memory loss was, the concern of the memory returning. If he could find out why this happened, he could make sure it was permanent. As he could not do that he was working on making sure if Clark’s memory returned he would have tapes of this time if nothing else to prove it.

The one thing Lex did know is that he would not be giving up this Clark without a fight. Even if he still could not understand what had caused such a change. He hand complied a list of odd events happening around the now dead alien and Clark Kent in the last year through his usual groups on the premise of finding a new way to identify budding heroes and in turn their identities.

The system had been in place for years now and would always keep him one step ahead of the Justice League and despite the number of people working on it keep them all none the wiser. The mythological group simply believed he was interested in the heroic aspect of history and heroic figures that were said to come again.

While Arthur Pendragon hadn’t come to save England, there were a few other figures he was sure to keep an eye out for. Nothing like Captain Marvel would be happening again without his noticing.

They pulled up to LuthorCorp and Lex almost groaned at the sight of Lois Lane on the steps. Thankfully there were no other reporters present so he would not have to deal with them as well as her insanity.

“Oh look boss it’s Lane, can I go talk to her?” Mercy asked with some glee.

“You can…”

“Not pick a fight with my partner, I’ll see what she wants,” Clark said attempting to climb over Lex.

“Clark,” Lex said as the driver opened the doors, he stepped out and into a barrage of questions from Lois.

“What have you done to Clark? You think you’re off on this don’t you. Just because you have Chloe and Mrs. Kent fooled…”

“Geez Lois I didn’t know you cared,” Clark said taking Lex’s offered hand to get out of the limo as his crutches were passed to him from the inside. “Thanks,” Clark whispered before turning to face Lois.

“Smallville come on, we have to get you away from this guy before his brainwashing goes any further.”

“I have not been brainwashed, Lex helped me, and I helped him that’s what friends do.”

“Oh come on you and Lex have never been friends.”

“I think I know what happened in my own life.”

“Clearly you don’t but I know some one who does; a real blast from your past Smallville.”

Clark looked at Lois strangely as Lex tensed at his side. The door to the LuthorCorp tower opened and Lex watched as Clark staggered as his ex wife and the love of Clark’s young life emerged looking the part of the suffering heroine. A white scarf wrapped around her head like a hijab, despite the fact that Lex knew she had started growing hair again,

“Hi Clark,” Lana said with a weak smile and Lex forced his expression to remain neutral. He glanced over at Clark and could see the many conflicting emotions on his face. Lana had walked out of Clark’s life without a backwards glance. He wondered if it was the secret or learning the secret that had caused the separation but he couldn’t really ask either.

The clattering of Clark’s crutches to the floor shook Lex out of his thoughts and braced himself to watch Clark hug Lana. He was stunned when he saw that Clark’s expression had settled on pain, and he was gripping Lex’s arm tightly.

“Mercy, Hope,” Lex said coldly and he was amazed at the anger he could see on their faces. He knew Mercy hated Lois but that had been more of a fun loving hate. Hope hadn’t had much interaction with the woman; they were reacting to Clark and that surprised him even as he thought he should know better.

The two guards created a two woman blockade that was surprisingly joined by a grim faced, crutch brandishing Carla. Lois and Lana both stepped away from them and Lex gently led a slowly shuffling Clark inside the building, hiding any reaction as he watched Clark ignore Lois’ harping and Lana’s confused calling of his name.

Clark spent the ride up to the penthouse, in silence his head down, his hand in Lex’s squeezing every so often. He could tell the women were confused as to who Lana was to Clark but he had a feeling Carla knew.

“Clark?” Lex started softly when the doors opened and he did not move.

“She had no right,” Clark whispered. The anger clear in his voice. Together still holding hands which Lex thought would end once Clark became aware of what he was doing; they exited the elevator and into the open Penthouse doors followed by Hope and Carla.

“She was important once, wasn’t she Clark?” Carla asked.

“You have it backwards,” Mercy explained. “She’s Lex’s ex-wife.”

Carla looked at Lex and shook her head. He could see the questions and condemnation in her eyes. The woman saw too much at times. Deciding it was something he could deal with later he turned to Clark instead.

“Who had no right Clark? Lana?”

“Lois, she was there. She knew how much it hurt to just find a tape waiting for you. To just know she was gone, and I wasn’t good enough to get a goodbye. She kept in touch with Chloe, and even Lois. I sent letter’s cards, emails; all my answers were always second hand. She even asked Lois to tell me to stop writing her emails.

“She didn’t ask Lana to talk to me out of the goodness of her heart. She did it because she wants me to turn to her way of thinking and she will use any means necessary. She doesn’t like you and that is the only reason Lana has decided to talk to me after four years. She lost the chance to be an influence on my life when she walked out of it.”

“Wait, you dated Lex’s ex-wife?” Hope asked shocked.

“It’s not important Hope.”

“But…” Mercy jabbed her fellow guard indicating Clark who after his initial declaration of anger had returned to an expression of misery and pain. Regardless of what he said seeing Lana again stirred up feelings that he most likely had never truly dealt with. Lex had lived the infamy of Lana and Clark. And it was clear that Lana had not changed much if she thought that this was in any way appropriate.

“Clark on the desk in my office is a folder containing information about the Green initiative. It should be informative enough for an article for Perry. And I see no reason why you have to leave the penthouse again today.”

“I’m not going into hiding Lex.”

“But you need time Clark, and even with Lex’s help you will be in pain from the aidless walking you did,” Carla said softly.

“Oh,” Clark said taking the crutches and retreating to the office.

“Is that true?” Lex asked once he was out of listening range.

“No, but he needs time to prepare his heart if that woman shows up again. You both loved the same woman?”

“Clark loved Lana; I’m not sure any more; she was so many things, to me that had little to do with her. Sometimes I believe I loved her, others I think I was bespelled by her. And there is no doubting that I wanted anything of Clark’s that I could get my hands on at the time.

“It was foolish and Lana was caught in the crossfire. Could I have loved her? Possibly, but without Clark I doubt she would have ever entered my life. For the first few years I knew him, I devised ways for Clark to get Lana.”

“How long have you known Clark?” Carla suddenly asked.

“Ten years now, he was fifteen and a farm boy and I was twenty one and the evil billionaire.”

“Not much has changed then huh boss,” Hope said. “Though you guys are sounding like a soap opera or maybe a bad romance novel. All we need is someone coming back from the dead or the damsel in distress.” At Lex’s look Hope frowned. “You’re kidding.”

“Whose death and return would you like to cover, since I do not feel the need to discuss my exwife any further.” Lex asked.

“You didn’t…”

“The day I met Clark I drove off a bridge. The next thing I knew I was receiving CPR from our resident hero.”

“Are you telling that story again?” Clark asked entering with the file. Clearly still unread he was sure Clark had used the time to compose himself.

“Well dear it was our first kiss,” Lex said with a teasing grin.

“I was fifteen and your heart had stopped, not very romantic.”

“Well, you could have told them about the damsel. You were quite often in distress Lex. Kidnapped, murdering wives, my dad, your dad, the list goes on you needed Hope and Mercy then much more than now.”

“Write your article farm boy,” Lex said.

“This farm boy is hungry. Take out?” Clark asked.

“Since no one is leaving, yes.”

“Pasta?” Clark asked hopefully.

“I know a place. Let me make a few calls, Charity can bring it up,” Lex mused aloud.

*****

Lex climbed into bed beside Clark, wondering if Clark even remembered the reason they shared a bed in a place with multiple bedrooms, including a second master suite. Clark looked over from the screen of his laptop where he was searching for more information on other cities that were attempting to be green for a more rounded article.

“You know my leg isn’t exceptionally sore,” Clark said conversationally.

Lex looked at Clark and wondered at yet another fundamental difference. The Clark of old would have been accusatory, this Clark seemed mildly amused.

“Carla has taken a liking to you. She thought you would be better off not having to deal with Lois again today.”

“Not that it made much difference,” Clark said gesturing the files he had been working on. “When is your press-conference?”

“Thursday.”

“So I have a couple of days,” Clark said saving his work and shutting down. He stacked everything neatly and placed them on the bedside table before releasing a jaw popping yawn.

“Tired?”

“It is after midnight, unlike some people I need more than three minutes of sleep.” Lex raised a brow. “You will be reading something until I fall asleep and are awake hours before I am.

“I sleep about four to five hours; you seem to enjoy eight to ten. You are recovering, it’s expected.”

“Why does it feel like you are calling me lazy?”

“You are reading too much into my words,” Lex said simply lying down on his side of the bed, one arm over his head.

Clark glanced over at him then with a sigh placed his head on Lex’s chest. Lex glanced down at Clark who met his eye and grinned.

“It’s not as if we don’t end up this way every morning anyway,” Clark pointed out.

“No surprise that Clark Kent likes to snuggle.”

“Oh you do too, I have to go to the bathroom and I’m trapped by octa-Lex.”

Lex smirked reaching to turn off the lights. “Goodnight Clark.”

“Night Lex.”

Clark as was his way fell asleep moments later. Lex stayed awake, feeling that Lana as always was a bad sign. He felt that his carefully constructed life with Clark was about to shatter and he would be unable to stop it.

He wasn’t sure what he should call his relationship with Clark at the moment though he was sure he knew what others would call it. There was that final intimate barrier that they had not crossed; though Clark had long ago crossed barriers that lovers and even wives never knew existed.

Carla was sure there were discreet lovers and he was sure he had bets being placed between Hope and Mercy on the status of their relationship. They were more than friends, and it was all built on the fact that Clark had no memory. Besides Chloe, Lana was the only person he knew that could ruin this. He knew Lois would never give up but he thought he had dealt with her already but going to New York.

And now that he was back in Metropolis, the Justice League was sure to come out of the shadows, even with the information he had, he could not see them letting up for long. The fact that they had been silent his entire time in New York was a wonder enough.

“You’re thinking too much,” Clark mumbled and Lex froze. He was sure Clark had been asleep. “You’re all tense, relax,” Clark said propping up on one arm to look down at Lex.

“You were asleep.”

“I was, all that thinking woke me.”

“Very amusing,” Lex said dryly.

“No really, you are really tense all of a sudden. Whatever you are thinking about it’s not good for you. It can wait until morning when you can tell me all about it.”

“Why not now?”

“I’ll fall asleep,” Clark said with a yawn. He looked down at Lex shifting slightly before shaking his head and kissing Lex’s cheek. “Sleep Lex.” He said as he lay back down atop of Lex.

Lex smiled as a whole new set of plans crossed his mind, and the tension left his body, causing Clark to drift off as he finally felt Lex relax.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Lois frowned as she sat at her desk looking over at Clark’s own. Her stunt with Lana had backfired greatly. And now to make matters worse she had to field calls from the woman every day or so and listen to her complain about her cancer. If it was really treated, or if meteor rock based cancer could be treated.

But what bothered her most had been Clark, the look on Clark’s face. He had not been happy, or relieved to see Lana; he had been shattered. As if Lana had only left the day before. Lois wondered about that. He had always assumed it was puppy love, high school sweethearts gone awry.

But now she had to wonder. Putting aside the fact that Clark was happily shacking up with Lex Luthor of all people, Clark didn’t seem all that different. He knew who both she and Lana were, and while not being over a girl after all these years was a bit pathetic, it was Clark.

She looked over at Clark’s desk once more before making her decision. Standing she walked over to his desk and moved the mouse around, not the least bit surprised to find his computer had been on for months despite the fact that he hadn’t been to work.

The only catch was that his desktop was password protected, so was hers, there was no need to ever be out scooped because you had to use the bathroom or make a coffee run. But she had never been able to guess Clark’s password.

Now, though she had a whole new set of information she wanted to try. All revolving around the prestigious Lana Lang; twenty minutes later Lois threw up her hands in exasperation nothing worked. She had no idea what Clark’s password was but this was driving her insane. One little peek into his email and she was sure she would be able to figure out the truth.

The only thing she could guess was that Clark was using the time to infiltrate Lex. That would explain the anonymous manila envelope she had received a few days ago, that had tipped her off to various illegal activities. All of which had faint connections to LuthorCorp, though nothing that could be proven or prosecuted.

But, was Smallville good enough for that? Put on an act that could fool Lex Luthor. She had seen men and women fall for his ‘Aw shucks’ act but that was pretty close to the real Clark. It wasn’t that surprising that he could pull off awed by the big city so well.

Moving back to her desk Lois was surprised to find an email from Clark and realized quickly that she was only receiving it because it was an article. Even when they did not share a byline, people tended to believe that what one knew the other did. It was in their best interests to keep up with each other.

 _  
Green Initiative: Working for a greener tomorrow today  
By Clark Kent _

_When Metropolis resident Lex Luthor, CEO LuthorCorp, went to spend a few weeks in New York City it wasn’t the lights of the skyline the caught his attention, but the green. Building after building including his own, had converted their rooftops into gardens. In a city where every inch is a hot commodity, the citizens along with their Mayor Michael Bloomberg, have been working on a plan for a greener New York City, so the city haled as the Greatest in the World can be the Greenest as well._

 _New York is not the only City to go green, other cities with Green Initiatives include Denver, CO; Austin, TX; and Seattle, WA; and soon Metropolis, KS will be added to that illustrious list. You may have already noticed more plants appearing in key locations, notably above every LuthorCorp owned building. Luthorcorp is also building the first biodiesel fuel pump station to open sometime this summer. But Lex Luthor is not sopping there; this Thursday he is hosting a fund raiser to gain support for making the rest of the city green._

 _When asked about his commitment to such a project Mr. Luthor said. “Metropolis is my home, and I want to do everything in my power to better my home. I’m just one man, planting a few shrubs but if I can inspire just a few people and they in turn inspire a few of their friends then I will be satisfied.”_

 _The money raised will, be used to expand the windworks plant, introduce hybrid buses, and run those already on the road in biodiesel fuel. One can only hope that others will follow this example, and help turn our home already a great city into an icon for the betterment of our home, Earth.  
_

Lois closed the document in irritation. With press like that it would be doubly hard to remove the crown of Metropolis’ Golden boy from Luthor’s head. So much for thinking Kent had become a spy. Lois laughed. As if Clark could ever be a double agent. He couldn’t lie to save his life, and probably couldn’t keep a secret either.

That still left Lois with the question of who her informant was and what their goal was providing this information. It had all proven to be true, and yet she could not think of anyone except one of Lex’s top people who would have it. And Mercy, Hope, and Charity were all fiercely loyal.

The way that they had switched to keeping Clark at bay to protecting him as if he were Lex himself spoke of their mindless obedience. There was nothing to do, Lois would simply have to hope that she would get another package and the information would be enough to help lead her to her source and answer some of her more pressing questions.

*****

Clark was dreaming; he knew he was dreaming but he was enjoying it regardless. He was flying, without a plane, and with red wing s if what he saw from the periphery was any indication. But the best part was Lex was flying right beside him pointing out things in the world below.

Lex was smiling and laughing, and it reminded Clark of when they had first met. His heart had never felt lighter, he grinned as they swooped down through the clouds towards what he knew would be Greece. Lex would love it here.

Lex had not joked when he told Clark he slept about half as long as Clark did. He had already had a conversation with the London offices, started his workout for the day, leaving the Tai Chi to do with Clark. He entered his bedroom and was rooted to the spot.

Clark was floating, a good foot off the bed. Clearly asleep with a smile on his face, Lex noted the rapid eye movement indicated that he was dreaming. He wondered if Clark’s memory would return as well when he woke.

Steeling himself for the confrontation, he approached the bed and placed his hand on Clark’s shoulder surprised when Clark settled gently onto the mattress. He watched him dream for a few moments smiling before gently shaking his shoulder.

“Clark.”

“Mmm, Alexander, Lex.”

Lex blinked wondering about the last time a person had called him Alexander, it sounded foreign to his ears. “Clark wake up.”

Clark blinked blearily looking up at Lex and grinning. Lex let out a breath he did not know he was holding and returned the smile.

“Good dream?”

“Yeah,” Clark said sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Yawning he looked over at Lex. “Pretty silly too.”

“What was it?”

“We were flying, with out a plane, I had red wings, but I couldn’t really see them, and you were next to me pointing everything out that we were seeing. Then we went to Greece, and went to Alexander the Great’s house, and you were having an argument with him.”

“Alexander the Great?”

“Yeah, well you were arguing with him, he looked like this kid that works at the diner near the Planet. But he was acting so annoying, so I flew away and you came after me, and we were playing tag almost.”

“I flew after you? I had my own wings?”

“No that was the strange part you just flew, apparently you are too cool for wings.”

“Well it was your subconscious Clark.”

“Yeah,” Clark said with a shrug. “What time is it?”

“Seven forty five.”

Clark groaned and tried to lie back down.

“Oh no Clark, you have Tai Chi to do. Then breakfast. Then a session with Carla.”

“But it’s so early.”

“Shower Clark.”

“Yes mom,” Clark said with a sigh climbing out of the bed and walked into the master bath.

Lex sat down heavily on the bed. Clark was floating, one of his last powers to ever appear, had Clark been lying to him? Had he gotten his powers and memory back and decided to keep up the charade? Playing Lex for a fool, as he planned with the Justice League behind his back, to learn his secrets. He would not have it.

Lex having worked himself into a considerable fury stormed into the bathroom startling a shaving Clark who nicked his chin. Lex watched as the small drop of blood beaded from the cut. Lex blinked realizing he had just done something he had always accused Clark of doing. Jumping to conclusions and barging in without the whole story.

He pulled the door shut without comment, ignoring Clark’s questioning look. He sat down on the bed again and tried to think about this rationally. He was clearly letting emotions lead him away from what he should be doing.

He had always assumed Clark’s last power had been flight, but now thinking back there was no reason for it to be true. It may have just been the last power Clark displayed. Speed and strength were easily if not believably turned into some momentary feat or a trick of the eyes.

There was very little that could dissuade a person if they saw another human being flying. He approached the door again and knocked. He heard a muffled grunt and he pushed the door open to find Clark brushing his teeth.

“Quick question, are you afraid of heights?”

Clark spat and looked over at Lex and shook his head. “Not any more, I think, I went sky diving in college, it helped.”

Lex was about to ask something more when he realized what he was doing to Clark and smiled. “Sorry I’ll let you shower.”

“Is that why you burst in earlier?”

“I…yes.”

“You are so strange sometimes. You’re lucky I wasn’t naked,” Clark said.

“I suppose,” Lex said with a smile and pulled the door shut. Instead of sitting he paced around the bedroom his mind creating and discarding plans just as quickly as he thought them up. There was one thing Lex was certain about. Clark was regaining his powers. He would have to step up his timetable.

He had already dealt with his greatest obstacles, and Clark himself seemed to be unconsciously playing his own role perfectly. Clark was many things, but a good liar had never been one of them, while it had taken time for Lex to learn what the truth was; he had always known it was hidden from him.

H e was so engrossed in his plan forming he did not notice Clark had finished his shower and entered the bedroom.

“And now he paces,” Clark said, with a grin leaning against the door in his towel. He walked into the closet where his clothes were sharing space with Lex’s own, at least in the theoretical sense; there was so much space in the closet his clothes seemed miles from Lex’s.

Entering his area, he was surprised to see his entire wardrobe; it seems Mercy had been busy. He grabbed a worn Smallville Crows shirt, and after a futile search for sweat pants emerged with the shirt over one arm and the other making sure the towel stayed where it belonged.

“Uh Lex, where’s my underwear?” Clark asked sure he should have asked this question before he was towel clad. “Oh and some sweat pants?”

Lex led him into the closet and pulled out some white linen pants, and opened a drawer to reveal underwear in Clark’s size. Complete with his choice between boxers or briefs.

“Thanks Lex,” Clark said as Lex left the closet.

“If you wear that shirt I’m burning it,” Lex called in response.

*****

“What can we do? You saw that scene Lane initiated, Luthor has clearly scrambled his mind,” Oliver snapped.

“Are we sure we can’t get Watchtower in on this? You said she holds a lot of sway over Superman even in this state,” Batman pointed out.

“She’s called but, it’s almost as if her memories of Lex have been dulled. While she does find it strange, she did not see it as completely Impossible. She likened it to a reconciliation that Clark and Lex had when she and Clark were seniors in High School.”

“Is that possible?” Diana asked.

“I suppose, but she also has many a reason to hate Lex on her own, including her dismissal from the Daily Planet. Even if they do occasionally run her articles now that they are under new management.” Oliver added. “A lot of this does not make sense, Senator Kent is also unconcerned, and Clark continues to speak to them regularly.”

“There is a tie there; there are too many memories that seem to have been altered, and no way to detect this alteration without probing. The question is why not alter everyone’s memories?”

“Maybe whoever did the altering could not get a hold of everyone. I mean guys it was Luthor, even he would have trouble making off with all of us at once and doing a memory wipe. And we would all notice such a thing anyway. “

“It could be tied to how he learned out identities,” Wonder Woman added.

“That would make Luthor even more dangerous. There would be nothing we could do to stop him as long as he held this information over our heads.”

“You think that’s a concern? The last time Watchtower hacked him, she found the plans, for what looked like a sleeper program. Trigger words known only to Luthor himself that would send his plant on who knows what kind of attack of rage,” Oliver pointed out.

“We need to get to Supes,” Flash said. “There has to be a way around his ban.”

“There is one,” Batman said dropping a copy of the morning’s Planet on the table. “Some of us can make an appearance, without capes, nor cowls, it does not break his so called rules, and we can get close enough to Clark to see if an extraction is possible.”

“What if he doesn’t want to go?” Oliver asked in concern as he read the article.

“Why wouldn’t he want to go? He’s trapped with Lex Luthor. Sure maybe he didn’t want to go with his Ex and Lois, but maybe he was just trying to protect them. As big as what Luthor is holding over us all, don’t you think he could have something bigger to hold over Clark,” Wally asked pushing his cowl back and rubbing his face, before leaving a stunned Justice League.

“West! Where are you going?” Batman snapped, first to come out of his momentary shock; the idea that Luthor could have more to hold over Clark than his dual identity was wholly disturbing, mostly because it was possible, underestimating Luthor was a great risk. Clark could be playing amnesia in some twisted desire to protect them.

“To see Linda,” he said before speeding off to teleport back to earth. Sometimes Wally wondered if the League even knew how isolated they were. He landed in his living room and quickly changed and dashed into Linda’s apartment. None of her papers, on the article she was working on moved, she had long ago learned the pros of investing on paperweights.

“You’re early; give me a few minutes to wrap this up…Wally what’s wrong?”

“I don’t know if I can do this, it’s all coming from these people who just aren’t a part of this world no matter how much they pretend to be.”

“This is about that hero again? The one that powered down, and is with his enemy?” Linda asked. She knew she couldn’t get names out of Wally but even for him that had been vague. Not even the name of the hero before he powered down. She even knew that the enemy had not only Wally’s name but her own.

“Yeah,” Wally said moving some documents to the floor to sit besides her.

“He knows who we are right? And when other people approach, it seems like the former hero, god, I’m going to call the hero Tom and villain Mike okay? Good. So Tom, doesn’t seem to want to leave Mike, but Mike seems to be allowing him to talk to anyone right?”

“Yes?”

“So, talk to him, with or without Mike, you knew this guy pretty well?”

“I think so,” Wally said. He had always felt that Superman despite all his powers was the most genuine of the heroes, someone he would just want to watch a game with. He had even gotten tickets once, but then there had been that attack on Metropolis. “But, T-no Mike, right Mike said any capes and he would out everyone not just the one that showed up.”

Linda frowned. “I have an idea, but first one question; do you think he could fake it?”

“I’m surprised he could do the secret identity thing.”

“Okay but this plan has to kept from everyone, I doubt the League would go for it.”

Wally blinked then lifted Linda into his arms and was two hundred miles from Keystone City in seconds. “Here’s good.”

“You think the League listens to your private life?”

“The League no, Bats, probably,” Wally admitted and seeing Linda’s frown shrugged. “He’s like that, it’s not personal he would be suspicious of Gandhi.”

“Great guy you work with,” Linda said with a sigh.

*****

Mercy and Hope exchanged glances, looked at the files in their hand and exchanged glances again before returning their attention to Lex. Mercy’s lip twitched, and Hope’s shoulder’s shook.

“Boss, you are something else,” Hope said finally getting herself under control.

“I like to keep them guessing and that should have the benefit of keeping the harpy busy as well. The first set worked so well.”

“What about Clark?” Mercy asked.

“I have plans for Clark,” Lex said simply.

“Plans? Why do you have plans for me?” Clark asked walking in files in hand.

“You’ll find out in a couple hours,” Lex said and Clark rolled his eyes.

“I sent the article to Perry, he loves it. Lex the green initiative is great.”

“Of course if New York can do such a thing why not Metropolis. We are a great city.”

“And you just started making it better for everyone,” Clark said with a smile.

“I’m planting a few trees, I’m not saving Metropolis.”

“You are taking a step to save the whole planet Lex.”

“Clark I really think you are over estimating my contribution.”

“Lex, how long before we had our own smog cloud?”

“Well we already have an extensive public transportation system. While not as extensive as that of New York, this is the next logical step.”

“People are going to see you doing this and the rich will have to follow to keep up. The average citizen will want to help,” Clark said sitting on the side of Lex’s desk. Not noticing when Hope and Mercy left their grins much wider.

Clark glanced up when the door shut, and shrugged returning his attention to Lex. “And how many people have turned out for tomorrow night?”

“The most expensive seats have been filled, by some who don’t even reside in Metropolis.”

“Like who?” Clark asked trying to see Lex’s screen and nearly falling off the desk.

“Clark please don’t break another leg,” Lex said eyeing him carefully. “Like Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen.”

“Well Queen used to live here, and doesn’t Wayne Enterprises have a few buildings here,” Clark said easily. "There are likely a few more out of towners. When The Lex Luthor throws a party everyone wants to show up. “

“When did I become 'The Lex Luthor'?”

“When this older gentlemen told you to ‘Drive slower’.” Clark said and Lex let out a laugh.

“I’ve missed you Clark.”

“We spend everyday together Lex.”

Lex simply smiled and returned to his laptop. Clark watched him for a few minutes more before making his way out of the room and into the waiting arms of Mercy and Hope who flanked him on either side.

A vaguely familiar blond was standing a few steps away and Clark searched his mind for a name. Clark frowned as he tried to remember and a petite hand was thrust out at him.

“Charity Standish,” she said simply.

“Clark Kent.”

“I know, we’ve met, usually with your harpy of a partner,” Charity smiled darkly and with a flash of red in her eyes that startled Clark who took a step back.

She smiled innocently at Clark who rubbed his eyes in confusion. “Did you just-“

“Just what?” Charity asked curls bouncing.

“Never mind,” Clark said looking at the woman who had to be less than a hundred pounds. Maybe he needed glasses. He remembered Charity a little better now; she was the gate keeper to Lex and pretty much hated Lois.

“You like ice cream,” Clark said suddenly.

Charity graced him with a rare true smile. “It’s my secret love, couldn’t get it where I was from. Well you could, but, it’s not just snowballs that have no chance in hell.”

“Mr. Luthor is ready for you anytime; we can’t be late for Mr. Kent’s appointment,” Mercy said and Clark glanced at her. “Clark’s appointment,” she corrected and was rewarded with a smile. He looked over at Charity and smiled before he was pushed into the elevator.

“Where are we going?” Clark asked.

“Tailor.”


	11. Chapter 11

Lex stood with Hope at his side frowning. He had a suspicion about what Mercy was up to and why she had vanished with Clark hours before, and it irritated him, and the fact there was now an Armani in his closet in Clark’s measurements collecting dust. He also didn't really like the idea of a Mercy alone with Clark where the Justice League might risk interference.

"She'll be here any minute," Hope said adjusting the straps on the silver shimmering material that was her dress.

"Your stiletto is showing," Lex said adjusting the back of the dress with a hand.

"Thanks boss. Here’s Mercy," Hope said pointing as he heard the ding of the private elevator.

"I feel silly," he could hear Clark muttering.

"Do not insult Prada," Mercy growled appearing before Hope and Lex. She was in a gold dress, which was almost the twin to Hope's except that it had a plunging neckline instead of a plunging back. "Move it farm boy." Mercy snapped when Clark didn't appear.

Clark stepped into the room and Lex wondered how soon he could give Mercy another raise. Clark was indeed in a Prada Navy suit, with a pale blue shirt open at the collar. His hair had been professionally tended to, shortened slightly but left in Clark's trademark mess.

"Wow you look great Hope," Clark said and the woman did a twirl.

"I can see your stiletto," Mercy said with a sigh, "Come on," she said leading Hope to the other side of the room as Lex had a few more moments to savor Clark who was blushing.

"Aren't you going to tell me how nice I look?" Lex teased and if anything Clark's blush deepened.

"You always look good Lex," he said looking at the man.

"Thank you Clark. How did Mercy talk you into this?"

"Torture," Clark said laughing. "She held a care package from mom hostage."

Lex extended a lazy smile at Clark. A Clark who could not remember the days when Mercy was more likely to shoot him, despite the ineffectualness of the bullets; than to tease him into Prada.

"I should warn you, there will be press at this dinner," Lex said.

"No problem, I'm the representative for the Daily Planet," Clark said with a grin. "I talked to Perry while I was being fitted."   
 "That does not mean Lane will stay away."

"But it does mean you can throw her out without her claiming infringement on freedom of the press."

"I'm impressed Clark, when did you learn to be so devious?"

"I learned from the best." Clark said easily grinning at Lex's smirk. They watched Hope and Mercy remerge and Clark smiled at them both.

"You clean up nice," Hope said hooking her arm around Clark's as Mercy simply fell into step beside Lex as the four of them entered the elevator. In the parking garage, Charity was waiting beside a limo in a white suit.

"Driving duty?" Clark asked surprised.

"Clark Charity or Mercy has always been my driver," Lex pointed out and Clark's frown deepened.

"What about that guy?"

"What guy?" Mercy asked.

"Purple suit and cap? I'm sure he was the driver when we came back from the airport."

"Possibly a reporter who got too close? His outfit could have looked like standard driver's wear," Mercy replied even as she knew no such person was present, she glanced at Lex who shook his head minutely and she knew to drop it at least in Clark's presence.

"I guess," Clark relied with a frown.

"Why are we talking about some reporter? I want to party!" Hope exclaimed doing a twirl in her stiletto heels that would have snapped the ankle of most. The fact that the barely there dress was hiding knives and likely a few guns was just a small indication of how dangerous the women around Lex were.

"Lex," Clark began once they were seated in the limo and had the vague privacy that Hope gave them, as she started a video game, and Mercy sat up front with Charity. "Why are all your guards, and top people women? Weren't most of them in Smallville men?"

"And we saw how well that worked out for me, Clark."

"But, that's not the reason?"

"No. Hope would you like to answer this one?" Lex asked easily.

"Sure boss. Clark, when you look at Charity what do you see?" Hope asked placing the DS aside.

"Um, Lex's personal assistant?"

"What do you remember about her?" Hope prodded.

"She likes, ice cream, hates Lois, and wears a lot of white."

"And how dangerous is she?" Hope asked.

"Knowing Lex she could probably kill me with a paperclip."

"Lex could probably kill you with a paperclip; you with enough motivation could kill with a paperclip. Is she armed?"

"This is Lex, of course she is. He could get kidnapped going to the bathroom.” Clark and Hope laughed ignoring Lex’s scowl.

"The only reason you think Charity is dangerous is because you know Lex. You know that she may be called upon to keep him safe so she has the skills to do it. Most people do not, most people simply believe Lex is building a little Harem for himself, and is not in the least concerned with our skills. There is a reason we are wearing these dresses. I was once asked if once you go bald you never go back, I batted my lashes at the moron instead of feeding him his lungs. It's all about appearances."

"That's-"

"Sneaky? Devious? Brilliant? Scary?" Hope asked scooping up her game in her hands.

"Lex," Clark said with a shake of his head. "What are you playing anyway?"

"Battle for Middle Earth, your fault you know."

"Where do you hide that thing?" Clark asked noting the lack of a purse.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Hope said returning to the game.

"Does that answer your question Clark?"

"Yeah, but how are people so blind?"

"Disguises come in many shapes and forms, society has built this one for us, and I merely use it to its best advantage. Better than some disguises I’ve seen,” Lex said ignoring Hope’s snort.

Clark nodded.

"Why did you choose to be a reporter Clark?"

"At first? Because I could, the Planet would hire me without my B.A., even if it was as a copy boy. It was a start and it was something that I already knew how to do thanks to Chloe. The hours were also really appealing,” Clark admitted with a slight frown. "And great articles just kept falling in my lap. It made moving up a whole lot easier.”

Lex nodded, wondering if Clark had purposely interviewed himself to get a better position or if it was because of his true desire to let the world know as much about him as possible while still being able to remain Clark Kent. And the way Lois Lane had fawned over Superman from the moment he had appeared could not have endeared her to him. Clark likely no longer thought much of her ability to see things right before her eyes.

Pulling up to the hotel, that Lex had selected for the fundraiser, they had access to a grand ballroom, where there would be dinner, dancing, deals made, and flesh pressed And a few side rooms done out to look like more private areas, for smoking and sitting rooms. Lex had even decided to provide a basket with room keys, for things to be done at discretion.

Lex had a moment of surprise when an unnatural wind swept past him. Mercy had her gun out in a second but the wind passed without any major incident. Lex could now feel that there was a letter now ruining the line of his suit. Lex looked at Clark who was staring in the direction the Flash had gone before frowning, and shaking his head. He turned back to Lex and grinned.

“No red carpet?” Clark asked looking around.

“It is not that kind of gala, there will be a small line of press outside the ball room. This hotel is notorious for keeping its guest privacy.”

Clark nodded in understanding and it was no sooner that they had entered the inner doors of the Hotel, being held open by Mercy that the barrage began. Clark was blinded by camera flashes, and had no way to tell the various screamed questions apart. The lights were hurting his eyes more than he thought they should when the sound staggered him.

He felt arms around him righting him, though his vision was laced with white, and black, and he could not see clearly.

“Easy big boy,” Hope said steering him away to one of the sitting rooms. He wondered what had happened to Lex, and he felt Hope slide his cane into his hand, and wondered when he had dropped it. “Just a couple more steps,” Hope whispered and he nodded, regretting it when the world and his stomach spun.

“Sick,” he croaked, even as Hope pushed him into a sitting position onto the couch. A trash can was placed into his hands and despite the nausea, he was not able to actually throw up. Taking a few deep breaths he sat back, eyes closed even as he heard Hope moving around.

A wet cloth was placed over his eyes and he relaxed. “Thanks.”   
 “What happened?” Hope asked.

“I don’t know, it was just too loud and too bright for a minute there,” Clark said. “And now my head is killing me.”

“Stay in here for a bit, I’ll let the boss know you’re okay.”

“You don’t have microphones for that?”

“We do but there is some kind of interference,” Hope said with a frown.

“Go ahead, I’ll join you in a few minutes,” Clark said. “Better than Lex telling off the mayor to come back here. And I thought I heard Lois, so Mercy will be busy.” He added as he put his feet up and lay back on the couch.

Hope was glad Clark’s eyes were covered, she had seen Lois, and she knew the woman was arguing, about getting into the grand ballroom, with security, almost 300 yards from Clark’s position. To have heard her over the screaming reporters, one would need super hearing; she had more than one reason to get back to Lex quickly.

She wondered if they had in fact not seen the last of the boy in blue. She carefully shut the door behind her, never having seen the man in the shadows of the room. One who had simply entered the room for a moment of respite from his ‘date’ and get his public persona back on even keel. He should have taken Lane, the woman would have dropped him the moment that her real prey had arrived.

He opened and shut the door, knowing Clark couldn’t see him but would hear the noise.

“Lex?” Clark asked and Bruce tried not to growl at the hopeful tone in Clark’s voice, whatever Luthor had done had truly worked a number on the boy.

“No,” he said his voice harsher than he meant. “Too much champagne?” He asked in what he hoped was a kinder disinterested tone.

“No, the reporters, Too many flashing lights I guess,” Clark said making no move to see who he was speaking to or even get into a less vulnerable position. Bruce wanted to shake the alien. He had no regard for his safety. He had no idea who he was speaking to, and would be defenseless if Bruce was armed.

“Oh, you get used to them. Your date must be pretty famous.”

“You could say that,” Clark said with a grin. Bruce kept his expression neutral though his blue eyes were even colder.

“She hot?”

“You could say that,” Clark said with a grin.

“Bruce there you are, Lisa is wondering where you got off to,” A blond head said poking his head into the room, Bruce gestured quickly and Oliver entered without question. He saw Clark lying there and looked at the other man in shock.

“What did you do?” Oliver hissed dragging Bruce to the far end of the room.

“Nothing, its not my fault Lisa got bored, I was only gone a minute.”

Oliver blinked a moment, surprise over taking him at being addressed by the playboy, and not the hero. He knew of the mask Batman wore, but it was still strange to have it directed at him. He glanced over at Clark who had sat up and removed the towel from his eyes.

Whatever it was that had caused the pain seemed to be gone, and it wasn’t as if he had peace and quiet in here. He stood and feeling a slight twinge in his leg, instantly remembered his cane. He may have over done it with Mercy in the Prada store, than salon, then getting the right shoes. The woman seemed adamant about getting him into the perfect outfit, no matter the time it took, or the cost.

Even with all the training with Carla and Lex, Clark knew he wasn’t as active as when he was on the farm, and when he went back to the Planet he would be even less so. He didn’t remember having a gym membership, but there was a good chance he had forgotten it. He still couldn’t remember what article it was that had won him a Pulitzer.

Clark lost in his own thoughts did not realize the effect of using his cane on the other two occupants of the room who, even with the previous evidence could not believe that Superman needed a cane.

Clark looked up at the room’s occupants and smiled at them both, before looking again at Oliver. “Oh hi Oliver.”

“Clark,” Oliver said unsure of what else to say.

“Who’s your friend?”

“What? You know-“ Bruce accidentally jabbed Oliver and took a step forward.

“Bruce Wayne,” He said extending a hand and Clark blushed before shaking the man’s hand.    
“Oh, you think I would recognize my boss.”

Bruce laughed. “I get that all the time, you work for Wayne Industries?”

“No, the Daily Planet, you bought it a couple years ago.”

“I did?” Bruce shrugged. “I own a lot of things. I wonder if that was why Lois was so stubborn,” he said more to himself and Clark shook his head.

“Do yourself a favor with Lois, and run,” Clark said shaking his head. “Oliver warn your friend. I have to go find Lex before he sends someone after me.”

“You can’t leave after something like that. Why would Lois not date me?” Bruce asked his expression almost merry. Oliver tried not to stare, it was so much easier to take it all as an act when you only saw stills of Bruce Wayne with a woman on each arm, or the man smiling at some gala or another when he wasn’t being a recluse in his mansion.

“Well you could always wear her down with gifts, isn’t that what you did?” Clark said glancing at Oliver who rolled his eyes.

“Lois and I are ancient history Clark.”

“I really don’t want to talk about Lois,” Clark said opening the door surprised when he stepped into a corridor and not the entrance hall of the hotel like he expected. “Oh, um where’s the ballroom?”

“Come on Clark,” Oliver said taking the lead. He led them back to the ballroom, trying not to laugh at the way Bruce was annoying Clark who was much too polite to say anything, until he realized it was a test. Bruce had dropped a few key words, and names, including that ‘Wonder of a Woman Diana’ and Clark had had no reaction at all.

“Well there’s Lex, it was nice talking to you,” Clark said and practically ran to the table where Lex, Mercy, and Hope were waiting. Lex glared daggers at the two heroes behind Clark but said nothing as everyone took their seats.

He looked over at Mercy who nodded and Lex leaned over to Clark.

“New friends?”

“God, I hope not, Oliver’s the blond, but it was that guy who was screaming ‘dumb blond’ Bruce Wayne is an idiot.”

Lex smirked, “Are you feeling better?”

“Mostly it was weird, it was like everything got real loud all of a sudden, and real bright. Sensory overload,” Clark added as a salad was placed in front of him. “Did I miss all the grand speeches?” Clark asked wondering if he fell asleep.

“No, just a few introductions, and entrances, the speeches are for the end.”

“Oh,” Clark said as he took a bite of his lettuce.

“Yes, as they’ve already given Lex their money no need to torture them,” Hope said spearing a cherry tomato from Clark’s plate.

 

“I can’t believe you would take such a risk,” Oliver hissed as he dragged Bruce back into the hall after Clark fled.

“I am in neither cape nor cowl, and you are causing a scene,” Bruce hissed before smiling and wandering back to his seat and his date. Oliver ran his fingers through his hair in irritation before making his way to his own ‘date’. Dinah looked none too amused, and he shrugged innocently glad for once that they could not speak freely.

*****

Clark was chatting up the deputy mayor, trying to see what the feeling was that Lex had taken up such a role when he was not a politician and see if there as a story there as well. He had gotten info from a few of the other benefactors, though he had stayed well away from Bruce Wayne.

The one time he had been cornered by the man again, Mercy had thankfully rescued him. And had laughed herself silly, for what Clark still had no idea.

Every once in a while he would spot Lex, and hover in whatever group the man was chatting with for a few minutes. Though the topic seemed to always change to when Lex would finally give politics a run.

Clark was on his fifth or sixth glass of champagne, he was loosing track though he wasn’t overly concerned when he noticed the party was breaking up. There were fewer groups and Lex seemed to have been with the same circle for a while.

It wasn’t until Clark approached that he realized this was the socialite crowd of Metropolis, some of the people Lex would have grown up with. They were laughing, and clearly most of them were quite drunk. Clark could tell Lex was bored, his polite smile was strained, and he just wasn’t one of these people.

Mercy caught his eye from the side of the room and they both nodded, approaching Lex from opposite directions. Clark unsure how to interrupt Lex from the conversation, though he arrived first instead just took his place at Lex’s side.

His hand moving to the small of Lex’s back. The man glanced over at him in question and Clark simply grinned. He wondered what Lex’s jacket was made of, it was exceptionally soft. Rubbing circles across Lex’s back, Mercy reached them and with a few whispered words he nodded and politely took his leave of the group.

Mercy led them into another small room and with a frown explained, Charity had been detained and Hope was getting the Limo.

Clark who had moved his exploration of texture to Lex’s hand blinked when it was pulled gently away.

“You’re drunk Clark,” Lex said sounding more amused than anything else as he watched Clark.

“Oh really? Don’t remember getting drunk before,” Clark said smiling, running his fingers against Lex’s hand again.

“How much champagne did you have?”

“Five or six I th-” Clark said.

“Nine,” Mercy interrupted.

“And you didn’t think to stop him?” Lex said and Mercy frowned.

“Don’t be mad,” Clark said gently, his hands running to Lex’s face and trying to smooth out the expression.

Mercy’s tone was amused as she answered her boss, “It won’t happen again.”

“Good, get Clark some water,” Lex said leading the man to the couch.

“You did good today,” Clark said once they were seated.

“Thank you Clark,” Lex said glad that beyond the excessive touching Clark seemed to be mostly in control of himself. He would have hated if a drunk Clark was similar to that arrogant self absorbed fool he had met before.

“Do a lot of people expect you to go into politics? I didn’t think you were interested after the senate race.”

Ah. Drunk Clark was more straightforward.

“Many people simply expect me to be mayor.”

“That’s not good enough for my Lex. My Lex wants to be president.”

Lex laughed as Mercy returned with the water and handed it to Clark. “But I am not old enough for that office just yet.”

“You should do a term as State Senator, get more name recognition, and be ready for the presidency when you were done.”

Lex smiled, he had a similar plan for the future, though without the six years in senate. It still amused him, that Clark still thought like Lex was twenty one. He had been on the cover of Forbes, Time, and was regularly in The Times, The Planet, The Tribune, just to name a few. Going green was just making his press coverage better.

“Lex.” Lex turned to look at Clark and was pressed into the arm of the couch as Clark kissed him. Lex was stunned, even as the whoop from Hope spurred him into action. He gently pushed Clark away.

“You’re drunk.” Clark stared at Lex and sighed then pouted. “Let’s go,” Lex said and the group made their way to the limo.

“What happened to Charity?”

“She had to see and I quote ‘her friends in the basement’.” Hope said with a shrug. Lex steadied a stumbling Clark to the parking garage.

“Drink your water Clark,” Lex said and Clark looked at the bottle in his hand and took a sip, once done the bottle hanging dangerously from his hand, splashing onto the pavement every once in a while. Lex kept them walking and said nothing to Clark simply handing him a new bottle once they were in the limo.

Lex did not move away from Clark though there was plenty of room in the spacious limo. He had not done it before. Clark for the most part seemed subdued by his rebuff, and simply sat drinking his water, and the second bottle Mercy handed him.

Reaching the penthouse, he sent Clark into the shower first, for the first time concerned about their sleeping arrangements. Clark emerged from the bathroom, and Lex could see that all he had done was change.

He watched Clark climb into bed and fall asleep in moments, and relaxed. He could deal with an embarrassed Clark in the morning. That would be much less of a problem than anything else.

“Rise and shine Clark,” Lex said as he stood in the doorway of the bathroom. Clark’s response was to groan and pull a pillow over his head.

“I let you sleep in, but Carla is here now. What possessed you to have nine glasses of champagne?”

“It never did anything before,” Clark mumbled shuffling out of bed and into the bathroom. He did not even glance at Lex.

“Headache?”

“Mm mummech.”

“Stomach?” Clark grunted in agreement before spitting a gargling. He wiped his face on a towel and looked at Lex who was adjusting a cufflink on a pale blue button down. Clark looked over at Lex and smiled.

Lex returned the smile wondering if Clark had simply forgotten the night, before returning his attention to his cufflinks wondering why they were giving him so much trouble this morning. Clark moved to the doorway but did not continue into the bedroom instead standing before Lex.

“Lex.” He looked up almost surprised to find Clark so close, before Clark’s lips descended on his yet again. “I’m sober this time.” Lex blinked looking at Clark.

“I see,” was all he said before dragging Clark’s face back down to his own.

Carla pulled the door shut, sure she could give them a few more minutes, besides if Mercy was correct, Clark would be in no state to do anything for a few hours more.


	12. Chapter 12

Batman looked at the woman who had just entered the room. He had thought to call upon Zatanna the moment that the mention of altered memories had been made but at the same time he did not want her near. He had pushed the irrational thought aside, but it had taken weeks. They would now need to explain the situation to her and see if a solution could be found.

They had decided to start with Chloe, who had been brought to the Watchtower by Oliver. She was looking around the heroes interested, and Bruce could see how she and Lois were related easily, though where Lois would have nagged with dozens of questions already Chloe seemed able to hold her tongue.

“So what’s this about?” Zatanna asked looking directly at Bruce.

“Superman.”

“And you waited this long? Shame on you,” Zatanna said pointing a finger at Batman.

“His memory and the memory of a few other people including Chloe here have been altered. And his powers are gone.”

Zatanna took a seat looking around the table and sighed. “It’s been months.”

“Yes, do you think you could restore his memory?”

“I’ll try, wohs em eht slleps tsac no eolhc.” Zatanna shut her eyes before looking over at Chloe. “Oh this one is a doosey. But it seems to be breaking down,” Zatanna said reaching for the magic she could see swirling around Chloe.

“Oh, not good.”

“What’s not good?”

“If I break this it strengthens the other strands of the spell. I need to do some research, but right now I think its best to leave it.”

“Can you tell if our minds have been altered?” Martian Manhunter asked. Zatanna nodded and repeated her spell.

“They were but the spell is much more degraded, almost as if it was an afterthought, and not as much power was used. It was not for memories,” Zatanna looked confused for a moment. “It’s stronger when you are together. Is someone missing?”

“The Flash.”

“It may be the reason you were finally able to contact me. Whoever did this is powerful. I could do a lot of damage just ripping these spells apart. Though the spell on you does not seem linked to the one on Chloe.”

“I, you said this is centered on Superman?” Zatanna asked as she pulled out her compact. “Wohs em namrepus.” She looked into the compact and blinked. “Raelc.” She called out before anyone else could see.

“What did you see?” Batman growled.

“Nothing important to this spell. Like I said I want to do some research. Split up for a week, or so and the last of the spell on you should be gone,” Zatanna said standing.

“Zatanna.”

“Chill out Bats, emoh,” she said quickly vanishing from the spot.

“Well that was different, was she saying things backwards?” Chloe asked trying to make sure.

“Yes, that is how her spells work,” Oliver explained.

“Oh, weird, direw, dearw, ugh how she can do that on the fly I’ll never know. It’s like having to learn a new language.”

“Yeah, come on Chloe, I’ll take you back, thanks for this.”

“It’s no problem. Besides I got to see the Justice League up close. Even if you made me promise not to ask any questions.”

“And you did great; I could tell bats was just waiting for the twenty questions. He was not impressed when I mentioned who your cousin was.”

“Its amazing how many people Lois has that effect on,” Chloe said with a sigh as Oliver led her through corridors, where she could spot a hero here and there, though all seemed absorbed in their own goings on and paid little attention to her.

*****

Lex sighed as he looked up down at Clark who was still asleep. Their make out session had ended rather quickly when Clark thought he was going to be ill. He was not but Lex had shuffled him into bed, forced him to drink some Alka Seltzer before telling him to sleep it off.

Now he was looking over at the letter in his hand again. Despite what he had originally thought it was not written by the Flash, it was written by, Linda Park, the Flash’s current paramour.

 _Dear Sir,_

 _My boyfriend, who hand delivered this letter to you, says you know who he is and who I am. In this you have me at a disadvantage as he won’t tell me who you are. Or even who this person that is currently in your care, is or was._

 _It is clear that he cares for whoever this person with you is. It is also seems like you have not done more than scare the heroes away and possibly taken advantage of a situation that landed in your lap. I wonder why. But more so I want to not see my boyfriend wear a hole in my living room floor, when he comes back from his friends on high, and is worried about their indecision, and lack of motivation in this situation._

 _Even with the information you hold I am surprised that their great sense of Justice has not caused them to find a way around it. Yet until he reaches me it seems like he thinks their arguments are sound and with merit. There is more here than meets the eye, but I look for more in all I see._

 _I would like my boyfriend to get a good night sleep for the first time in months. It is an effort to keep up with him normally, he is so quick, but on a round the clock schedule there is little I can do. So you may laugh at my request, but that is what it is. A request, not an order, or a command, I do not have any great power behind me unless you count the local news._

 _The day after you receive this, we will be at the Pink Ladies, on Mercer and 5th. From Noon until one barring any great disasters. Those friends on high do not know of this, and I trust you can keep it that way. We come in Peace, to look after a friend._

 _A concerned lover._

 

Lex folded the letter and slipped it into his pocket. He wasn’t sure if it was curiosity or something else. But he was willing to take the chance. The chance with Mercy and Hope at his side, Charity waiting to press the button and present his information to the public at a moments notice if it was some kind of trick.

But now he had one hung over farm boy to get up and out of the penthouse in the next forty-five minutes.

“Clark,” Lex said running his fingers through his hair.

“Mmm, that’s nice,” Clark said eyes still shut.

“You feel any better?”

“Yeah, Stomach’s still a little off but nothing like this morning.”

“Good, get up we have a lunch date.”

“But Lex,” Clark whined pulling on his arm. “I’m sick, climb into bed and take care of me,” Clark said batting his lashes.

“One you are not sick, you are hung over, and two; I do not want to miss this. I would like you to come with me, but you can stay in bed if you insist. Carla should be back from the Museum in a few minutes. She likely has a few things you can do, now that you are feeling better.”

“Do I have to dress up?”

“Your normal attire is fine.”

“Is there anything left of my normal attire?” Clark asked having noticed a lot of his shirts seemed to be fading from the closet even as more Lex like shirts in his size appeared.

“I have no idea what you mean, I’m sure you will find plenty of jeans and t-shirts,” Lex said watching as Clark climbed out of the bed and headed into the shower. It had to be his imagination that Clark was walking with an extra wiggle, memory loss or no this was still Clark.

*****

Sitting in the booth Wally tapped his foot impatiently. He looked over at Linda who was sipping coffee as if she had not a care in the world.

“How can you be so calm?” Wally asked.

“It could be because I actually have no idea who we are meeting. Or even who this hero is. Will I recognize him?”

“Who? Yes both. Or not people never seem to recognize him out of the outfit, even rookies sometimes mess up, this one time, StarGirl….”

“Mr. West, Ms. Park, I’ve been sent to check that everything is in order.”

“I’ve never seen you with-“

 

“That is the point,” the woman said pulling out a device and checking the booth even as she looked around.

“All clear,” She spoke into her arm before walking out of the diner. What Linda saw next stunned her as the most famous son of Metropolis and who she assumed was his bodyguard entered. Though she adjusted that assessment when she saw he had a cane. Was this the hero? He did have the build for it, and trailing behind the pair of them were Lex’s body guards, Hope and Mercy.

“Wallace West,” Linda hissed and he cringed.

“Yes honey?”

“Lex Luthor? Lex Luthor!”

“Um yeah?” Flash said.

“Well I guess he didn’t bring the hero,” Linda said as they reached the table. She didn’t notice Wally’s frown as the group reached the table.

“Mr. West, Ms. Park, I’d like to introduce you to my companion Clark Kent,” Lex said gesturing to the man beside him who smiled though he paused looking at Wally.

“Have we…do I know you?” Clark asked with a frown.

Wally swallowed and seemed at a loss for words and Linda quickly took hold of the situation.

“Clark Kent of the Daily Planet? I saw your articles on the work Mr. Luthor is currently doing on the Green Initiative. While not as hard hitting as your usual expose work, I found it fascinating,” Linda babbled trying to figure out who Clark Kent had been.

The first hero that came to mind was instantly dismissed, though they had similar hair colors, Clark was paler, likely because he spent most of his time behind a desk, and shorter, and the cane did not help things.

“Well its hard to be a hard hitting investigative reporter when you’ve broken both legs,” Clark said as he slid into the booth and passed his cane to Hope. “But I have a very important question for you both.”

“What?” Wally asked finally gaining his voice back.

“How did you talk Lex, into meeting in a 50s theme diner?” Clark asked. “I had enough trouble dragging him into the talon and he owned it!”

“Clark, I frequented the talon.”

“Yeah when you were hiding from your dad, or were desperate.”

“Hey there everyone! I’m Rizzo I’ll be your waitress for today. Can I get you all drinks?”

“Chocolate shake,” Clark said instantly.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Lex asked.

“I’m okay,” Clark said as Wally frowned.

“You were sick?” Wally asked visions of poisoning and lab tables filling his head.

“Not quite,” Clark said blushing slightly.

“Clark got a little tipsy and a little touchy feely,” Hope said with a grin and laughed as he turned bright red.

“I’ll give you all a few more minutes,” the waitress said wandering off as a bus boy, in leather jacket and slicked back hair placed cups of water around the table.

“Well I know a great cure for hangovers,” Linda said with a grin. “Bacon.”

“Bacon?” Clark asked.

“Trust me,” she said pointing to the breakfast special in the menu opened in Clark’s hands.

“Alright, so what is this meeting about?” Clark asked after scanning the menu for a few more minutes.

“You Clark,” Lex said.

“Me?” Clark asked.

“You’ve worked with Mr. West a number of times.”

“We have?”

“Wally nodded, “We’ve also been trying to get to a Sharks game for a while now.”

“That would be nice, Lex you know you could make thing less complicated, Clark do you remember Wally, there done in a flash.”

“Your schedules don’t always mesh, and you seem to have had a bad habit of not picking up your phone.”

“Its always Lois, or a number I don’t recognize, I just don’t want to…”

“Clark give your phone to Mercy,” Clark handed it to her hand she linked it to a MiniUSB as the Waitress returned and took their orders.

“It’s her Clark,” Mercy said disconnecting the phone. Clark sighed and took the phone back.

“So Wally what do you do?” Clark asked and Wally blinked glancing at Lex.

“Cop,” Lex said and Clark nodded.

“Oh, and you Linda?”

“Local news reporter, Central City, we’ve never met,” she added gently taking Wally’s hand.

“Oh,” Clark said smiling. “So I don’t get it, amnesia doesn’t work that way,” Clark said with a frown.

“I know Clark, hence the unorthodox methods. You think I would be here otherwise?”

“I knew-“ Clark was cut off by an explosion that rattled the windows, Wally was out of his seat in a blink and paused his body turned towards the door.

“Go, it’s your job, if I wasn’t sure Lex would tie me to the bed if I tried I would be right there getting the story.”

Wally paused long enough to kiss Linda’s cheek with a whispered stay safe before running out of the door in a speed that was crawling to him.

“Sir, we should leave, there is no reason to be caught up in the fallout of whatever that was,” Mercy said nodding at Hope who was already on the phone. Lex dropped a twenty on the table and waited for Clark to stand and take his cane before sliding out of the booth beside him.

“Ms. Park, I would be willing to take you anywhere you need to be.”

“I…Wally was going to take me home after this,” Linda said, not sure what she should do. It was clear that Lex had to be the villain of this situation though he was acting anything but. Clark as much as her mind did not believe it had to be the hero.

She wondered how he had gotten caught up in this. Likely a new hero, who was tripping over their cape. A second explosion, that had cracks appearing in the window took the decision from her as people started running from the diner, in confusion and fear.

She watched as Lex let the panic masses run past him before gesturing for her to follow him Clark and Mercy. Looking at the madness on the street she decided she could take her chances. He knew everything about Wally already and whatever truce they had would not do well with harming her.

With an expression of determination she followed them out to a back alley where she was surprised to find that a limo could fit. They piled inside and the limo took off, using back streets that were more deserted.

They heard the third explosion but were far enough away that if she had not known would have though t it was fireworks. Mercy hit a few buttons and a TV screen came up and the local news already had live coverage.

It wasn’t explosions; it was giant robots. Or to be more precise one giant robot, and she was sure she could see streaks of red around the robots feet. Linda hated this, it was one thing for her to watch Wally battle, when he was already home and playing announcer to calm her nerves, but she was sure that no matter how fast he was some how he would be stepped on by one false move.

The robot crashed to the ground, and they saw the buildings rattle. Or more Linda and Clark saw the battle coming to a close. Lex was watching Clark’s reaction much more than he was watching the battle.

Clark was enraptured, he watched as Wonder Woman punched the fallen creature, even as Batman entered the corner of the scene with some one tied and being pulled along by one hand and what could be a controller in the other.

She never did see when Wally left, not even that streak of red she could sometimes see. She glanced back at Lex and Clark and blinked. How had she not seen it before?

“Clark?”

“Yes, Linda?” He asked forcing his attention from the screen never noticing his fingers intertwined with Lex’s

“How long have you know Lex?”

“Since, I was fifteen,” Clark answered with a shrug.

“Isn’t it a conflict of interest? I never want to report on things Wally was even vaguely involved in.”

“Well really, Lex isn’t news, at least not in investigative, his company is news, deals are news, takeovers, initiatives, with Wally, he would be the one doing things, really what’s the worst Lex has done hold a pen?”

“Pencil pusher?” Lex asked with a slight smirk as the Limo stopped.

“Ms. Park your ride is here,” Charity called. Linda looked out of the window and saw the Flash standing in front of the stopped limo.

“It’s been a pleasure, Clark, Mr. Luthor.”

“Thank you,” Lex said with a nod, as Linda climbed out of the limo.

She walked over to the Flash who took her in his arms and was gone in a blink. When her feet touched ground again she looked at Wally.

“Did you know that Clark and Lex are dating?”

“Wait what? They can’t! He hates him!”

“They were holding hands and sitting very closely in the Limo.”

“But…but…But they…”

“Have known each other years? Clearly a friendship that lasts that long is a good one. Seems they have decided to take it to the next step, maybe the power loss, wasn’t his doing and he’s taking a whole different kind of advantage.”

“Linda!” Wally exclaimed. “That’s that’s…”

“Besides forgetting you and not having any powers, seriously would I have known who he was?”   
Wally grinned and nodded. “Fine, don’t tell me, but was he different?”

“No…”

“Did he seem to be putting on a show?”

“No…” Wally admitted sitting down. Pushing back his cowl he looked up at Linda. “Really? Together?”

“I think so; I mean they were only holding hands, but that kind of ease is something usually between lovers.”

“Oh…hmm. Be right back the league calls. I guess they want to debrief,” Wally said pulling his cowl back on and standing. “You think I should…”

“And how would you explain meeting with Lex Luthor, he is the ‘bad’ guy right?”

“Trust me, he’s not a gangster or a mugger but he has done things, if Clark wasn’t there I would have never let you stay there.”

Linda smiled glad that Wally hadn’t realized the flaw in that plan. “I can take care of myself.”   
 “Yes you can, I should go,” Wally said activating his teleporter.

She was surprised when Wally returned in less than five minutes. “That was fast, even for-“

“They booted me.”

“What?” Linda asked shocked.

“I’m out-”

“What? Why?”

“Because I purposely put the truce at risk. I am no longer a member of the Justice League, and my actions are not sanctioned by them.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know, they can’t really stop me being the Flash, though they would probably, if they could. I’ll just stick to Central City for a while; maybe until this all blows over. I can’t believe that they would just…”

Linda gently put a finger to his lips and smiled, reaching up to pull him down for a kiss. “Will you sit back and not help when they need it?”   
 “Of course not!”

“Will you go make it your life’s work to destroy the justice league?”

“NO-“

“Then you are still a hero and they will realize that soon enough,” she said pulling him down for another kiss even as she gently led him towards the bedroom.

*****

“Sir, there is something you may want to see. Or well I could come back later,” Mercy said with her usual smirk.

“What is it?” Lex asked barely pulling away from Clark who was sprawled on the couch beneath him. He tried to glare at Mercy but Clark deciding to lay kisses across his neck put an end to that plan.

“Clark,” Lex huffed before pulling farther away.

“A press conference, by the league.”

“Really?” Lex said gently pushing away Clark’s reaching hands and watching as Mercy turned on the television to a network at random where they caught Wonder Woman in the middle of a sentence, the Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, and Black Canary forming a semi-circle behind her.

“And we have decided that we can no longer call The Flash a member of the Justice League. He is a great hero but he cannot fit into our league. He is no longer a representative for us and we can not sanction his actions, nor control them.”

“Wonder Woman!”

“Princess!”

“What does this mean?”

“What was his crime?”

“Will you be handing him to the authorities?”

“He committed no crime. I believe your military has a term that works well for this situation. Honorable discharge. I would be pleased to have a defender like him at my side, but at the end of the battle, we must each go our separate ways. He will likely continue to be a defender of the Earth, for his heart would allow no less. That is all,” she said, sternly stepping away from the podium and ignoring the shouts of the press.

The group teleported out, and an Anchor appeared on the screen recapping what had happened and speculating to what could be the cause. Lex shook his head; he supposed that entire charade had been for his benefit.

The League was wiping their hands clean of the Flash and hoping that he didn’t out them anyway. Lex would have laughed if it weren’t so pathetic. Instead he stood and pulled Clark to his feet.

“Where are we going?” Clark asked as Lex hauled him along.

“Bedroom.”

“Oh. Oh!” Clark grinned.

“Mercy.”

“Yes sir?” She asked.

“I will shoot the messenger,” Lex said.

“I’ll warn Hope.”

Despite Lex’s warning he shut and locked the door behind him. Clark watched this with a small smile.

“You don’t think they would come in here do you?” Clark asked wondering if Lex would bar the door as well.

“They would and then take blackmail photos,” Lex said advancing on Clark who moved to meet Lex halfway, and pull him for a kiss, pushing Lex back until he was up against the door breaking the kiss when he had to get air into his lungs once again.

Clark stared down at Lex surprised when Lex’s eyes widened and he slid away from Clark and the wall.

“Shut your eyes,” Lex exclaimed and Clark startled by the change in tone did as he was told.

“Lex?” He whispered wondering what was going on even as he obediently kept his eyes shut.

“Do not open your eyes,” Lex said taking Clark’s hand and leading him gently into the bathroom. Lex quickly turned on the taps and Clark was tempted to look but was sure Lex wouldn’t be happy, and he really wanted to get Lex naked.

“Kneel Clark,” Lex instructed and he did. He could feel Lex moving behind him, then the soft breath on his neck, it caused his already aching cock to twitch. What on earth was Lex doing? Clark got his answer when Lex’s lips worked from his jaw to his neck.

“Lex, please.” Clark whispered his hands flexing against the floor tiles.

“Open your eyes Clark,” Lex said even as one hand moved to the front of Clark’s pants. Clark groaned pitching forward slightly and opened his eyes to see the water Lex had put to run boiling.

Clark blinked and felt his eyes itching, rubbing them, he gasped as he felt heat coming from his eyes. The pain from his burnt hand distracted him from everything else and the water stopped boiling.

“Did…did I do that?” Clark asked in horror. Lex sighed wrapping his arm around Clark from behind, the other gently sliding out of his pants.

“Well that complicates matters,” Lex said with a sigh. He took Clark’s hand and looked at the light burn that was already starting to blister. Apparently Clark was not yet invulnerable. This just made the complications larger in Lex’s estimation.

“What’s happening?” Clark asked refusing to look at anything but the tub where the water was still steaming.

Lex sat on the floor beside Clark wondering how Clark had learned to control this particular power. He knew Clark was no blushing virgin, and as much as he wanted Clark he did not favor being burned alive for it. It also had been colorless heat. Superman’s heat vision was with laser precision and could cut metals easily. Lex ran his fingers through Clark’s hair, as the man sat despondently looking at the tub.

“We will work through this,” Lex said easily seeing that Clark’s erection had wilted. “Come on let’s go disturb Hope and Mercy’s betting.

Clark smiled faintly, before turning haunted eyes to Lex. “How did you know what to do? What would happen?”

“You used to be able to do that,” Lex hedged, “I didn’t know what he trigger was-“

“Wait I could do this before? I don’t remember fire shooting out of my eyes the last time I had sex.”

“You learned control, eventually. Come on, Clark, there is something I have to show you,” Lex said with a heavy sigh. He hoped this wasn’t the wrong thing to do, he did not want to lose this Clark, but this had long stopped being something he did to learn the reason behind it and use Clark.

“Where are we going?”

“Just to my office,” Lex said getting to his feet. He reached an arm for Clark and pulled the man to his feet. Clark wrapped his arms around Lex and took a deep breath. Lex returned the hug and they stood together in the bathroom; after a few moments Lex pulled away kissing Clark gently.

Lex was surprised when Mercy and Hope didn’t immediately pounce on them when they exited the room but he took his blessings where he could and shut the door to the office behind them. Lex wondered what Clark was thinking and wondered even more what Clark would think once he saw the videos.

He decided to start with something innocuous, which may jog his memory in a simple way. He searched through his files, pulling up the file of the race.   
 “You have to watch this Clark,” Lex said, as the man hadn’t moved from the other side of the desk.

“Sorry,” Clark said as he took the seat Lex vacated.

Lex hit play, watching Clark more than the video.

“Welcome! One and all to a historical event! A race, between the Flash and Superman, a race that will be too fast for the human eye to follow, a race around the world.”

“What does this have to do with what happened?”

“Keep watching,” Lex said simply.

“And here are our heroes now, Superman is coming from above, but let’s make things clear he will not be allowed to fly for this race.”

Clark watched as a person landed then blinked as he recognized them. “What is this?”

“What you forgot,” Lex said softly his expression detached. He watches as Clark’s attention flickers from the video, to the folder looking at the names of the other files that Lex had, opening the interview that Clark Kent wrote for the Daily Planet. He wondered if Clark even realized he was reading at a speed usually kept for speed-reading.

Clarks powers were returning, just slowly and in no order that Lex could understand. He wondered if this was the original order, even as Clark opened more files. After a few minutes Clark looked up at him.

“What kind of crappy name is Superman?” Clark asked.

And Lex smiled. “Lois thought it popped more than Kal-El.”

Clark banged his head against the desk. “I hate her.”

“Don’t we all,” Lex said with a smirk.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

 

Linda glanced over at Wally who lying drowsily besides her. He glanced over and smiled softly. She sat up reaching for her robe.

“How do you feel about sandwiches?”

“Sandwiches?” He asked, sitting up and stretching.

“Yes, bread, meat, cheese?”

“I’ll do it.”

“I need to put together a grocery list, stay there.”

Linda grabbed a pad from the bedside table and walked to the kitchen, her mind on what the Justice League had done to Wally. She just knew it hadn’t sunk in and the first crisis that happened would be hard for a whole new set of reasons that was just unfair to Wally.

She started pulling things out of the fridge for the sandwiches, amassing quite a few items. She pulled out a half of Avacodo and had an idea. Checking for bacon, and finding just enough she started to make California Club sandwiches.

She was rinsing the tomato she was planning to slice when she heard it. And almost imperceptible click the sound of the window being shut. It was a sound she had been much more aware of as Wally would sometimes use it as an entrance and take a few extra seconds to change before joining her. She was sure Wally wouldn’t have heard anything but she wasn’t going to scream just yet. The last thing he needed was to come to her rescue if she was wrong.

They were on the sixth floor, the fire escape was back in their bedroom, not the living room. But she had seen enough flyers to know is one decided to become a robber it would be an easy target for them. She reached for her chopping board and placed it on the counter, rinsing a tomato she reached for her carving knife, and without a second thought threw it where she thought the person was standing.   
 Turning she was surprised to see Batman having caught the knife and looking at her. She wondered if he was surprised but could not tell with the eyeless cowl. His lips at least were a flat straight line.

“No, you don’t get to do that and set foot in my home. Get out!”

Batman said nothing, still holding the carving knife, until a blur took it out of his hand, took the bacon off the stove, then stood besides Linda in boxers, that may have not been on just a second ago. It reminded Linda of her nearly undressed state and crossed her arms over her robe.

“West I want you-”  
 “No, you washed your hands of him. Is your memory that short? He doesn’t have to answer to you.”

“Honey-”  
 “No this bastard, threw you out then snuck in my window to ask a favor? He has a lot of nerve.”   
 “What happened to not leaving them out in the cold?”

“Is the world ending?” Linda snapped at Batman.

“No.”

“See, they can handle it, they were quick to pass judgement now then can just eat it.”

“I’m glad to see you’re not holding a grudge, dear. What do you need?” Wally asked turning to Batman a hand rubbing gently on the small of Linda’s back.

“Did you actually make significant contact with-”

“Wait you’re not even sure if did what you booted him for? What kind of half assed operation are you running?”

“I think he means Clark.”

“Oh for the love of…” Linda threw her hands up in the air and wandered out of the kitchen leaving Wally confused as he glanced at Batman.

“Did she throw a carving knife at you?”

“Yes.”

Wally grinned as Linda returned to the kitchen with her purse, after a few more minutes of fishing she pulled out a card. She punched the numbers into her Blackberry and hit send. Then held the phone out to Batman.

“Well?”

He took the phone and put it to his ear just as someone answered.

“Clark Kent. Hello?”

At the second hello where Batman said nothing she snatched the phone back. “Hello Clark? Sorry. I was programming the number in I hit call instead of save.”

“Oh. Uh who is this?”

“Linda?”   
 “Right, um actually is Wally there?”

“Yes.”

“Can I ask him something?”

“Sure,” she held the phone out to Wally who shrugged.

“West.”

“Hey, its Clark. I have a question for you and it may be pretty strange.”   
 “Shoot, I can handle strange.”

“Um, did we run a race together?”

“Race…”

“For uh charity?”

“You remember that?” Wally asked stunned catching Batman’s attention.

“No, I was really hoping Lex was playing some kind of really weird prank. THough that wouldn’t explain what happened in the bath-” Wally heard a sharp voice that could only belong to Luthor and Clark cleared his throat. “Right too much detail.”

“Are you alright?” Wally asked.

“I’ll get back to you. Hey wait, does this mean you were fired today?”

“Well you can’t really fire me. But yeah…”

“Here, Lex wants to talk to you.”

“Lex?” Wally said wide eyed as Batman finally stepped off the wall and was inches from Wally who backpedaled a little, it was strange staring down Batman in just his boxers. He glanced at Linda and noticed she was gone. Likely to get dressed.

“Hello West, Luthorcorp could always use someone of your talents.”

“How many ways can I say no?” Wally growled.

“Not even to help Clark?” Batman nodded at him and he sighed knowing the man had likely been listening all along.

“How?”

“You have experiences, with Clark, and I did not point out to him that you were the man he had run the race with.”

“You already know who we all are, you can’t possibly be trying to hold that over my head.”

“That was not my point. My point is that you clearly jog his memory.”

“And you would want me to do that? Really?” Wally asked.

“Its your decision, Wally West will be welcome at my penthouse.”

“What about…”   
 “And what would he be doing visiting Lex Luthor? Its foolish actions like those, that cause it to be a cake walk to connect the dots to all of you. I will not be implicated as a member of your little gang.”

Lex hung up then and Wally stared at the phone a moment before glancing at Batman. “Why are you here?”  
 “Luthor should not be dictating membership in the league.”

“Well, you didn’t put up any kind of fight. Wait, you even agreed.”

“There are things that we all must do to keep up public appearances.”

“Right…”

*****

Clark looked up at Lex and smiled. “What?”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet, we have no idea if he will show up.”

“But you asked and its clear that you guys aren’t best friends or anything. Reminds me of you and Pete.”

“There is a name I haven’t heard in some time. How is Mr. Ross?”

“Third year of law school right now.”

“Interesting.”   
 “Yeah he mentioned something about an internship in DC,” Clark said with a shrug. Clark frowned, looked at Lex then frowned again.

“So I’m a Superhero?” He said finally, looking up at Lex.

“Not a Superhero. The Superhero. Superman. Think Captain America but, more.”

“More?”

“Clark, you are worth billions in merchandising alone.”

Clark snorted, and smiled at Lex. “Lex this isn’t normal is it.”

“No, and with the things you and your vigilante group get up to, for all I know you’re a Clark Kent from an alternate reality where you were born human.”

“Wouldn’t I have a beard then?”

“Well, you aren’t evil,” Lex pointed out.

“Touche,” Clark said before giving Lex a Vulcan salute. “So you have no idea what happened?”

If Clark hadn’t had his full attention on Lex hoping for some clue to his explain his unorthodox amnesia he may have missed it. “Lex?” He asked standing. Lex kept the desk between them and ran his hand over his scalp. A nervous reaction Clark was sure he hadn’t seen for years. “Lex, what else could there possibly be? I walk around in blue spandex.”

“It’s not actually spandex, at least not anymore, ‘someone’ may have gotten creative with acid and a flame thrower.”

“Not the point right now Lex.”

“Fine, Clark. Before any of this happened we were no longer on speaking terms.”

“Oh that. Yeah, I figured that out Lex.”

“What?”

“You, weren’t in my email contacts, on my speed dial, hell I didn’t even have your phone number, and I googled our names. I’m surprised the Planet is still standing.”

“You didn’t say anything.”

“Well its not like I figured it out right away and when I did, well what did it matter? We had a falling out, we’re friends again.”

“If it were only that simple Clark.”

“Lex, I’m not fifteen anymore, the world is just not that simple, if it was, a person like Batman couldn’t exist and be anything but evil.”

“You remember Batman?”

“Sort-of. It like a movie, but not really, or a dream. I know there’s a Batman, and some moments it feels like I know Batman, but I can’t tell if its because I saw Batman: The Movie or actually spoke to him. Understand?”

“Your frame of reference is wrong?” Lex tried.

“I guess? Until I can understand it I doubt that I will be able to explain it. So, you had to have some ideas of who would have done this.”

“Me.”

“You? As in you?”

“I should say me with a full head of hair and a beard,” Lex said smiling.

“Weird. But why evil you? I’m sure Superman had a lot of enemies.”

“Yes, and if it were just your powers taken away I could believe that. But this? I don’t see how anyone but myself could benefit from the selective altering of your memories, and those of your friends and family. It was as if some power handed you to me, weak and powerless for me to do what I would.”

“Could anyone do that?”

“The only people who know the extent of our relationship were similarly modified, and do not have such reality altering abilities.”   
“Do you think you were modified too?” Clark asked.

Lex frowned for a moment surprised he hadn’t thought of it sooner, but no, his first thought had been to extract all the information and samples that he could. His only reason for not doing permanent harm to Clark had been curiosity, and wanting to get his questions answered. He had even been wearing a Kryptonite ring for the first few hours.

It had taken weeks of Clark behaving like the Clark of old to get under his skin; weeks of trusting looks, honesty, even general suffering from his injuries. He had taken the taps off his phone and computer, noting that Clark told him everything any way. Had he been manipulated?

Even now he was trying to twist this scenario, if he could get West on his side, while he was still on the outs with the League, he could keep Clark away from them all even if he got his powers back. No the goals may have changed, but they had changed within reason. There was no reason to be locked in his previous mindset. He would have never reached this point with Clark had he remained antagonistic with the man as he healed.

“No Clark, I am and have always been Lex Luthor.”

“Lex Luthor geek is more like it. So weird memory loss and now we’re friends like always.”

“We’ve already established that isn’t quite true.”

“I hope its true now?”

“Yes, Clark.”

“So, Unless I forget the last few months-”

“I have tapes.”

“Is there anything you don’t plan for?”

“Lois.”

“Really?”

“She is a force of nature, unpredictable and uncontrollable, you can hope she doesn’t cause much damage, but the woman is insane. I would not have guessed she would have taken the road she did with trying to get you back. I expected articles, harassment every time I stepped outdoors, not that.”

“Oh.”

“Though I have some doubts on her life expectancy, the moment she goes after someone who has less scruples than I. She no longer has an invulnerable bodyguard.”

“She can’t get into that much trouble.”

“One in four articles has her life, in peril. One in three of those she would not have survived without primary colored help.”

“So how has she been okay so far?”

“Miracles do occur every once in a while I just would not hold my breath for something like that continuing.”

“Sir.” Lex glanced at Mercy and Clark wondered if he was imagining it, but she sounded pissed off. Not that she was actually showing a facial expression or anything, but there it was.

“Yes Mercy.” Apparently Clark wasn’t the only one who had noticed the tone.

“There is a Wallace West here to see, Clark.”

“That was fast,” Clark said and caught Mercy’s smirk.

“He does that, let him up,” Lex said to Mercy.

“Why?” Lex just stared at Mercy a long moment and the woman nodded before wandering off.

“Was there a conversation in there?” Clark asked.

“I think she’s worried I’m going soft, she can’t possibly think I believe that farce of a firing.”

“Wait, you think that has to do with this?”

“Clark, do you think the Justice League; who think I am Satan would leave their golden boy in my care?”

“Lex you are not Satan, last I checked he had way more hair, and was just creepy. He had all that hair to hide the horns.”

“Anti-Christ then.” Clark rolled his eyes. “The point is that I had safeguards in place to keep you here.”

“But you let me have a phone, computer, I never even got a cryptic voicemail.”

“Like Lois, they likely thought you were in my torture dungeon.”

“Right, penthouse on the Upper West Side, torture dungeon.”

“Of course. So how does firing the Flash get me back?”

“He’s here isn’t he?”

“Well you didn’t have to…” Clark stopped this argument bordering on silly. “I hate this, its like walking into the second part of a trilogy halfway through the thing, I have no idea what’s going on and everyone else does.”

“I’m sure Mr. West can fill you in on the evils of Lex Luthor and the virtues of the Justice League.” Clark finally moved around the desk standing inches in front of Lex.

“I let my dad and everyone else talk me into that once, and I won’t be doing it again. I know what I’ve seen and you Lex Luthor are a good man,” Clark could see the protest forming on Lex’s lips and pulled him close by the tie for a kiss.

“Oh my GOD!” Clark jumped letting go of Lex’s tie and turned to where Wally watched them in horror, while Mercy stood behind him arms crossed and smirking.

“What?”

“Satan, Clark.”

“Um, hi,” Clark said deciding to ignore Lex.

“Hey,” Wally said moving a touch too quickly to keep both Mercy and Lex in his line of sight. Mercy kept moving out of his range, until Lex shook his head.

“Why don’t you take Mr. West to the entertainment room, I’m not sure what kind of conversation you can have if he is too terrified to take his eyes off Mercy and I.”

“What? Oh right,” Clark said realizing this was Lex’s office, and Wally did look a bit like a terrified deer. He hadn’t seemed so nervous in the Diner, but then again he hadn’t just seen Lex and Clark kiss. Clark had to admit, he didn’t think he knew anyone other than Mercy, Hope, and Carla that would take that well. His mom would at best be politely worried.

“Come on,” Clark said waking over to the man and pulling him out of the room. They were barely down the hall when Wally seemed to snap out of it.

“How can you kiss him?” Wally exclaimed. “He’s…He’s Evil.”

“No, a possibly ruthless, cutthroat business man, but not all and all evil, or I would have been in the dungeon, lab, torture chamber, you all have been imagining.”

“He’s up to something!”

“Right, on the off chance I got the powers I didn’t even remember having back, his being nice to me would make me want to suddenly conquer the world with him. Makes total sense.”

“But you two-”

“Do you and Linda agree on everything?”

“No, but I’m not morally and ethically opposed to her either.”

Clark’s pocket buzzed and he pulled out his phone. He saw the number and held up a hand to stall Wally.

“Hi mom!” Clark said brightly as Wally flopped down on the chair. “Fine, oh. You are? Tomorrow? Both of us? I’ll check.” Clark turned to glance at another corner of the room.

“Lex, are you free for dinner with my mom and me tomorrow? She has a meeting moved and she’ll be in Metropolis just tomorrow.”

“Who are you…” Wally stopped as he saw the camera in the corner. Then just blinked as it moved up and down.

“Lex can come. Sure mom, yeah the penthouse, right across from the Planet. See you tomorrow. Love you too.” Clark hung up.

“He’s watching us,” Wally said flatly. “How can you trust him?”

“Lex’s has had his places wired since I was nineteen, and that could have been Mercy, its not like they trust you.”

“Me?”

“If you decided to pick me up and run how would I stop you?”

“I thought you said you weren’t a prisoner?”

“Do you know how many people try to kill Lex on a weekly basis? Well I guess not as much anymore, its only accessible by three people.”

“But he can be watching anytime.”

“Lex actually does have a job. You may have noticed.”

“How can you be okay with this? The Clark I know-”

“Look, if he had put them up specifically for me, then yeah I would have a problem with that, but I’m not about to tell Lex how to live in his own home.”

“He could be watching you shower.”

“I’d much rather he join me.”

“Oh god. Are you sure you haven’t been brainwashed?”

“If Lex is so “evil” would he want me to do more than just like him? Possibly that whole world domination thing.”

“He’s bidding his time.”

“Right because he knew my powers would start coming back.”

“What! Why didn’t you say so?”

“I just did.”

“This is dangerous Clark. He’s using you.”

“For what exactly?”

“I don’t know, something!”

“Thanks for that. Lex Luthor’s master plan, something, with a bit of stuff. Look, I’m not suddenly going to start growing a goatee, start calling anything my precious, petting any persian cats, or threatening little dogs too.”

Wally stared at Clark and laughed. He couldn’t help it, he knew Supes was a good guy he hadn’t realized he was a big nerd too. “Dork.”

“Well yeah, who do you think got me started on Warrior Angel comics?”

“Lex Luthor reads comic books?”

“Well maybe not anymore, unless he gets the digital ones, which would mean he’s hiding comics from me,” Clark said raising his voice. “Yes, Lex reads comics, plays video games, and quotes Star Trek, I’m shaking.”

“That doesn’t make him any less dangerous,” Wally said. “Might make it harder for him to get a date though.”

“I have that covered thanks.”

“Okay, right there, you are not allowed to talk about that ever. No hints, no nothing, I’m gonna see if J’onn will bleach my brain thanks.”

“Do you have a problem with two guys-”

“No! I have a problem with Lex Luthor. You couldn’t date, I don’t know Batman?”

“He’s creepy.”

“Lex Luthor!”

“Lex is not creepy, just a bit intense.”

“One could say the same about bats. And what about Lois?”

“Lois? What about her? I’m going back to work next week.”

“No I thought you and Lois were-” Wally tried.

“Lois still thinks I’m an idiot farm boy.”

“She clearly has a thing for Supes, hell most of the other papers call her Superman’s girlfriend.”

“Does she know, about me I mean.”

“No, she has no idea.”

“So she just likes the powers.”

“No, I mean, she likes what you stand for, and believes in you.”

“Well if I have to fly to impress Lois, she’s out of luck.”

“You said some powers were coming back. Which ones?”

“Heat vision. Did I do any training with you guys?”

“You’d use the gym sometimes, but not really.”

“So we don’t have a danger room?”

“Nerd.”

“Oh well. What kind of things did we do?”

“All sorts of stuff, natural disasters, alien invasions, killer robots, other meta-humans, we also train anyone who wants to. They are kind of auxiliary league. Sometimes it feels like we are up to our ears in heroes.”

“And what about me?”

“You’re the heroes, hero, you bats, and Wonder Woman. The big three, really, big guns.”

“And where do you fit?”

“Founding member, Part of the Fellowship.”

“Fellowship?”

“Lord of the Rings?”

“Ah, who’s who?”

“Well according to Star Girl..”

Lex turned the screen off returning his attention to his email and work. Mercy had her palm, and an ear bud in so he was sure she was still watching, and would let him know if there was anything that he needed to know about them.

He was halfway through an email in Japanese when Mercy pulled out her gun already moving in a fast clip towards the door. Lex stood, grabbing his own and following. He stayed a distance behind so Mercy wouldn’t threaten to shoot him in case the danger wasn’t the Flash until he saw her running towards the entertainment center.

“I will shoot you in the kneecaps,” Mercy said pulling the door open.

“Woah,” Flash said putting his hands up. He knew he was faster than the bullet, but Mercy was scary. He sometimes wondered if she was a bit of a precog, because the one time she had shot at him, she had nearly got him, as if she could compensate for someone moving at his speed.

“What are you trying?”

“He wants Clark to visit the watchtower.”

“Visit, right, Mercy shoot him.”

“Guys!” Clark exclaimed. “Its not like I said I would go.”

“Of course you wouldn’t go! So this is your plan? A visit? And then Clark is gone!”

“Um, could you guys put the guns down?” Clark said frowning, his hand rubbing at his chest. Lex put his gun up though Mercy did not move. “Mercy.”

She stared at Wally long and hard, before pulling out a throwing knife, and putting the gun away. Her warning clear.

“What if Mercy came with me?”

It was the first time Wally had seen Mercy smile and he twitched. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Haven’t you been fired Mr. West, how would you gain such access?”

“Well I’m sure my higher level, clearance is gone, but I’ll still have lesser access.”

“No.”

“Lex.”

“No.”

“But-”

“This is exactly what they want.”

“I thought you said he wasn’t a prisoner,” Wally snapped.

“It doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”

“We’re not going to kidnap Clark, we’re the good guys.”

“Right, will you let him leave?”

“The minute he wants to.”

Lex pulled out his phone. “Are you sure about that Mr. West?”

“I’m not a liar.”

“I hope you trust your league.”

“With my life.”

“Good. Hope, I want you to secure, Linda Park. Yes her, take her shopping for all I care, just be with her.”

“Leave Linda out of this,” Wally exclaimed.

“You are bringing back Clark unharmed correct? Then what do you have to worry about? I get Clark, you get Linda.”

“And this is the guy you think is a good guy?” Wally snapped at Clark who was watching this silently.

“Lex I don’t think you should-”

“Then stay firmly on earth.”

“Mercy is coming with me.”

“I wouldn’t even be considering it otherwise.”

“You’re holding a woman hostage.”

“As much as you were in my torture dungeon.”

“Let’s just forget about it,” Clark said shaking his head. “It was a dumb idea.”

“It would put everyone’s mind at rest,” Wally pointed out.

“Maybe when I know more of what is going on,” Clark finally said. “You’ll just have to work on brining me up to speed faster.”

“I’m all about speed.”

“How’s that working out for your girlfriend?”

“Mercy!” Clark exclaimed scandalized.

“What can I say Hope is a bad influence,” she said smirk firmly in place.

“Could you call her off Linda?” Wally said.

“Unlike some people I don’t have a teleporter, she’s still in the city limits,” Lex said annoyed.

“Right,” Wally said frowning.

“I’ll leave you to your entertaining Clark,” Lex said moving to place a kiss on Clark’s lips, smirking when Wally sputtered.

Wally stared at Mercy who stared right back leaning against the door.

“Aren’t you going to leave?”

“We have a chaperone,” Clark explained. “No funny business. Seriously though, no one’s made fun of the tights ever?”

“Invulnerable, flying, super strong, heat vision, fast, no one is that stupid. It would be like laughing at Batman, for years people weren’t sure if he was real. We don’t have to look scary, well except for bats, we are.”

“Okay, how did we meet?”

“Well we all had been acting independently for a while before we formed the Justice League. You don’t know about that either do you?”

Clark shook his head and Wally glanced at Mercy.

“We have a video simulation we created,” Mercy said pulling it up on a screen. Obviously we took liberties. But a lot of this is public record.

The video started and it was a combination of news footage and CGI and stills. It was only a couple minutes long and when it ended Wally stared at Mercy.

“That’s scarily accurate, some stuff is off, but yeah. General idea, I may have been a big fan to get you to join the team. And Bats was slightly less anti team. But anyway, there we have the Justice League, and you already knew the Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, and Green Arrow. At the time Aquaman was having some weird memory thing so he didn’t really remember being Arthur but you knew him too. Not that anyone told me.”

“Oh. Wait, blond environmentalist?”

“King of the seas and things yeah.”

“Huh, I remember him from Smallville at least. Not those other names though.”

“So there was this Alien invasion.”

“Alien Invasion?”

“What you thought you and J’onn were the only ones?”


	14. Chapter 14

Lex looked at the readings and frowned. It almost pained him to do this, but he would not be taking any chances, the speed and trajectory spoke of an area of origin he kept a close eye on and it would not do well for him to be taken by surprise at this stage in his life.

He walked his way to the gym, and watched Mercy wipe the floor with Clark for a few moments, it amazed him that the man had no formal training. But he supposed as Superman he could power through most threats and if he could not, well no one would be able to.

Clark caught Mercy, and threw her into a wall with more force than should be possible even with a man his size, he froze as Mercy moved to soften the blow. She stood ready to continue and Clark held up his hands to stop her.   
Clark’s powers, were returning at a broken stuttering pace, and making it almost impossible for the man to control. One moment his strength was that of an average human’s the next, he could turn coal into diamonds.

“I’m fine,” Mercy snapped.

“And if I had thrown you that way?” He asked gesturing to the mirrored wall on the other side of the room.

Lex decided he should interrupt then, this argument could go in circles, it didn’t help that Mercy had gone toe to toe with a fully powered Clark.

“Clark, when’s the next time West is coming over?”

“Thursday after work,” Clark said catching the towel Mercy threw at him, in a movement that made it clear that Clark’s speed was returning as well. Lex thought this was a good sign, until two days ago the powers had been returning one at a time, sputtering out then coming back.

Heat vision had vanished only to replaced by strength, to be replaced by hearing, invulnerability and so on. Speed had been the easiest for Clark to control on his own and Lex believed he had the answer to what Clark’s first power had been. Even with West’s visits Clark did not seem to remember much more, things seemed familiar but he had no actual memory of most events.

“Have lunch with him today.”

“Sir?” Lex handed Mercy the folder, an eyebrow went up in surprise.

“I’ll email him. I should shower.”

Lex glanced at his watch but made no comment. Clark’s commute had been reduced to the time it took to take the elevator down in one building, cross the street and take it up in another. He had plenty of time.

“Hope got us bagels,” Lex added.

“Great,” Clark said heading towards the showers.

“Don’t push him until you pay for it,” Lex said and Mercy raised an eyebrow. “You know he has less control then when we went pointing Kryptonite weapons at him daily, and he is not too proud to admit it. He goes farther with Hope.”   
Mercy frowned but nodded. “He’s learning fast.”

“More so than normal?”

“I showed him that throw once. He learns forms after one repetition.”

“How long until he is a black belt?”

“In what? I’d say he is already one In Tai Kwon Do. Hope complained she’s already running out of things to teach him in Judo. And he can take Tai Chi to its progression easily.”

“I wonder,” Lex said as he and Mercy left the gym. “Could he had been hiding his intelligence so long, that it passed on?”   
“What do you mean?”

“Clark was a perfectly average high school student, so average in fact I found it a bit odd, the same grades all the time, in any and every subject. You handed him a test he would get a B likely even if he had never taken the class.”

“Really?”

“I’ve had conversations with him lately, when I was considering acquiring Cadmus Labs again. He understood much more than he should have. You can see it in his articles from time to time, an insight and understanding of topics he’s covering that someone who has been googling for a 1500 word article shouldn’t have. It’s part of what makes him such a good reporter.”

“Genius?”

“If not, the potential for it.”

Mercy wondered about that and her own past with Clark while Lex had been gone. She had always thought he had been a bit naive and gullible, and somewhere she had translated that into not too bright. It had taken her a while to realize that he simply honestly thought the best in people, and it took a lot of pushing to throw him over. It had taken close to five years of Lex at his most maddening to lose him.

She had used that to her advantage at various points and so had Lex, but she had never let go of her ‘not too bright’. Superman had helped cement that idea, the hero almost never seemed to be using his mind, he powered through so much, but those were disasters, fires, hostile aliens, or evil robots.

He did things that if he was just an over powered thug would not be possible. Putting out a fire in an unstable building, without bringing the building down on everyone’s heads took a lot of split second high level calculations.   
“He’s very good at making you get an idea about it and never questioning it,” Lex said sliding Mercy the butter.

“I should know better.”

“Better about what?” Clark asked coming in straightening his tie. Lex and Mercy exchanged a look, even as they checked the time. Clark was speeding again.

“Then to think you could dress yourself,” Mercy said, moving to adjust Clark’s wardrobe. While it was much better quality than he used to wear it was not the level of Lex’s attire. They understood Clark’s need to hide what he looked like under his clothes, and have room for alien fabric under his wardrobe, something that would be made much easier, with baggier clothes, and neither Lex or Mercy believed in ill fitting Prada or Armani.

She pulled the Prada glasses, one had to be allowed some allowances, and placed them on his face. He frowned but did not remove them, the had the same general structure of his old glasses, black chunky frames, though they were metal instead of plastic. He had tried to argue he hadn’t worn glasses for months, both Mercy and Lex had simply looked at him until he gave in. He had chosen the idiotic disguise, that actually worked, he would have to live with it.

Lex was the one who noticed the cane. “I thought that was retired?” He asked and Clark shrugged.

“Lois said we were going to some conference, and I might want it since we were going to be standing for hours, I need it as much as the glasses, but it seemed easier than arguing.”

“Good.”

“Let’s go to the roof,” Clark said with a smile twirling the cane.

“The roof?” Lex asked even as Clark stole the other half of his bagel.

“Yes,” Clark said leading the way. It was only one short flight of stairs but Lex was still wondering what Clark was up to. Had he learned to fly? When Clark pulled out a Justice League communicator he growled.

“Relax,” Clark hit a button, “Um, can someone meet me on the roof of Lex’s penthouse?”

Less than a minute later, Wonder Woman, Batman, and the Martian Manhunter appeared on the roof. Hope burst onto the roof less than fifteen seconds later.

“Oh um hi,” Clark said looking at the three heroes. They looked ready to battle. It didn’t help that Hope was pointing what looked like a mini canon at the League.

“Clark,” Lex growled.

Hope walked over and smacked the back of Clark’s head then winced when she hurt her hand.

“I hate you,” she muttered taking up her position to defend Lex.

“You’re invulnerable,” Batman growled.

“Sometimes, look this isn’t about me.”

“Then why are we here?” J’onn asked even as Wonder Woman continued to glower.

“If Lex is freaked out enough to willingly invite Wally over sooner, I figured I could get this out of the way.”

“And how long have you had a Justice League communicator Clark?” Lex asked dangerously.

“Not long?” Clark said nervously.

“Kal-El, I have long told you that threats must be eliminated.”

“Oh my god, seriously?” Clark asked turning to Lex, wincing at Lex’s expression, he turned back to the heroes and took the folded file out of his blazer and handed it to J’onn for some reason most comfortable with the alien.   
Clark wasn’t quite sure what happened next, but the next thing he seemed to consciously register Batman was sailing over the side of the penthouse, before Clark could do more than blink, a grappling hook appeared over the side and Batman climbed up, and seemed to increase his menace tenfold, Clark was still more concerned with Lex.

Mercy was smirking at least, glad someone else had experienced that throw. Clark’s speed was coming back, though she was pretty sure Batman had been moving towards the files not Clark.

“Files,” Batman growled, giving Clark a wider berth.

“Oh,” Clark said blushing.

“I hope you know you will never be able to do that to him again,” Lex said coming up behind Clark and placing a hand on Clark’s waist. Clark was hopeful for about as long as it took to see the steel in Lex’s eyes.

“If I did this behind your back you may have leveled a small country before I could explain.”

“A little warning?”

Clark shrugged, “I’m not going anywhere.” A whirling sound had Clark look up and saw that Wonder Woman had vanished. He glanced at the two remaining heroes and was sure he was being looked at with disapproval by Batman. The Martian seemed distracted.

“How accurate is this?” Batman snarled. Couldn’t the man just talk?

“I have made watching that corner of the sky a priority since the third time the last of his people showed up. Last son my ass.”

“What?” Clark asked.

“Later,” Lex said. “Send one of your many spandex clad space nitwits to check it out if you doubt me. We have months, plenty of time for me to get my kryptonite cannons up and running. If you can’t do it I’m sure I can find a billionaire who can.”

“Thank you,” J’onn said.

“Yes now get off my roof before Lois Lane rappels from the Planet to get the story.”

The two appeared in the watchtower control room and Batman turned on J’onn. “Did you read him?”

“Yes, it was still difficult, but not impossible. He is not being held against his will, he is receiving battle training from both Mercy and Hope. The stuttering of his powers means that he can not control many things at the moment as he his neither Superman nor a human. Lex Luthor is not involved, and no more understands the memory loss than Clark.”

“We have heard as much from West, what about his actual memories?”

“They did not seem greatly altered from the last time I entered into his mind, though there is not a parasite feeding on him. My methods can no more find a foreign influence, nor the remains of some damage. But I could no more sense the spell that was found by Zatanna.”

“Magic.”

“I would presume so. Also those women now consider Clark theirs, they will defend him to the death, much as they would do Lex.”

“What is in that file?” Diana asked having reentered the monitor room.

“A possible invasion, from the direction of Krypton.”

“More of Kal-El’s people? Should we not be pleased?”

“Not a good thing, most of the surviving kryptonians did so because they were off world when the cataclysm happened. Most of them were off world because that is where the prison is located. So that other than Superman all that is left of a supposed noble, and proud race are-”

“Thieves, murderers, and the like,” Diana said frowning.

“Yes.”

“Could they know? Are they attempting to take Kal-El in his weakened state?”

“No, even for the ship to be moving at its fastest speeds, it would have to have been approaching earth for years already.”

“He does not remember us at all,” Diana pointed out.

“Not so, he felt more comfortable with J’onn who he has known the longest, and knew I was a threat.”

“His skill has improved,” Diana remarked. Usually it was Clark falling to Batman’s superior skills.

“Moderately.”

Diana smiled but said nothing sharing an amused glance with J’onn. “What would Superman be with your skills?” Batman froze for a moment before his hands moved to the keys.

“Someone contact Green Lantern.”

“Where are you-”

Diana rolled her eyes as Batman teleported out. Honestly the man simply would not stay very long with them if their wasn’t a pending threat. Trying to work a way to reclaim Superman had likely been the most time he had spent on the Watchtower than in the last few years combined.

Batman appeared in his cave, and didn’t move as the devices scanned him. There was only one area that you could teleport into and it was prepared for the inevitable infiltration. When the first series of security checks ended he moved to the panel that looked like a keypad and placed his gloved hand on the advanced device.

A moment later an air locked door on the other side of the room opened, from what appeared to be a wall, and he walked into the Cave proper.

He walked through the cave, lights, and his computer booting up as he made his way to the large console. He hit two keys and voices started, in the middle of a conversation as he removed his gauntlets and cowl.

“…Three minute shower.”

“I, oh.”

“Just focus, it’s clear it’s an easy power for you to control. Just don’t eat your lunch too fast, or come back from the bathroom too soon.”

“Sure, I should get to work, Lex!”

Bruce sat up at the exclamation wondering what it could mean. Was Luthor taking revenge for Clark contacting them?

“Lex, it isn’t safe.”

“Just don’t move. And close your eyes.”

Clark did just that, as he leaned against the marble Kitchen Island. The counter top was cold against his back through his clothes and and it was an interesting counter to the heat Lex was causing. The cane clattered to the floor when a sudden tightening of Clark’s hand had the metal groan.

By the feel of it Lex was pulling down his zipper with his teeth. Clark was glad Lex wasn’t angry with him, but he wished he could see the man’s face. Knowing that Lex wasn’t wearing any masks at the moment, but he would never risk Lex. Even now he could feel the itching warmth in his eyes.

Clark moaned when he felt Lex pull him out of his boxers. “We’re in the kitchen,” Clark gasped, sure he should have made that argument before he was half dressed and rock hard in Lex’s hand.

“Should I get the whipped cream?”

Clark laughed at the idea, the simple act calming some of the fire in his eyes though not anywhere else. He wondered vaguely if that was the key to control.

“Alright?” Lex asked gently.

“Yeah,” Clark said breathily. Lex was sliding his thumb against Clark’s slit and his breathing grew ragged. He felt all of fifteen again, maybe it was for the best that he couldn’t see Lex, he wasn’t sure that he’d be able to last more than a few seconds if he had to watch Lex touch him. This had been almost all they had done since that drunken day.

Clark had returned the favor, but they were both wary of going too far too fast, with his control problems and the fact that his abilities came and went. They were still trying to figure out how his strength affected muscles, and his invulnerability would affect sensitivity.

Lex’s mouth closed over the head of his cock and Clark almost lost the battle to stay still. It was a hard thing when he wanted to push forward and hold Lex in place. The mental image was enough to cause another groan. The inability to do anything, touch, see, made Clark more vocal though his chanting consisted of one word over and over.

“Lex. Lex. Lex.”

Gasping he tried to warn Lex, but the gibberish that came out of his mouth couldn’t be considered words in any language.   
“God,” Clark panted as Lex tucked him back into his pants, and stood. Clark felt and heard all this, not sure if he was ready to open his eyes yet. Lex pulled him into a kiss, and Clark finally got to do at least one thing he wanted, and wrapped his arms around the man lightly.

“We both have work Clark,” Lex said amused when Clark didn’t let go.

“But I could be spending all day with you, instead of Lois, and we could be naked,” Clark said aiming a kiss at Lex, based on his voice, glad when he reached a smooth cheek and not an eye.

“I’m sure we will make time for that. Can you open your eyes?” Lex asked.

Clark took a deep breath, running his fingers through his hair, and took stock of how he was feeling. The itching fire was gone, he blinked slowly, wondering why everything was a bit blurry before realizing there were smudges on his glasses.   
Pulling then off he wiped them off and grinned at Lex who rolled his eyes. “Go to work.”

Sighing Clark walked out the door after putting his glasses on. Lex picked up the cane to bring it to Clark when he saw it.

“Enjoy the show?” He snarled into the cane. Batman’s only reaction was a clenching of his fist when the signal was lost on his device. He was disturbed, to say the least. He checked and was glad Luthor had only found one device, the tracker was still active.

“Clark.”

“Yeah?” Lex entered the other room and saw that Clark was gathering his phone and Blackberry from chargers.

“Forget something?” He asked holding up the cane. It had been replaced with a metal that even Superman would be hard pressed to bend, without effort at least, but was painted to look like a simple generic black cane, with a silver head. It looked more like someone with money would buy than Clark but that was just fine. He had also had to stop Mercy and Hope from painting it red, blue, and yellow.

“Yes,” Clark said though he ignored the cane and pulled Lex into another kiss. “Have a good day at work dear.”   
Lex rolled his eyes. “You are hardly a house wife Clark.” He said even as Clark’s lips moved across his jaw.   
“If you mark him I will lock you in a room with Lane.”

“Mercy!” Clark said horrified.

“Whatever you have been doing you’re a mess,” Mercy said giving Clark a critical eye, which was unfair. He was barely allowed to do anything yet he was the disheveled looking one. Lex on the other hand looked immaculate, Clark blamed the hair. If he so much as twitched, he got bed head, Lex of course barely even had swollen lips.

“It’s not my fault he always looks perfect,” Clark muttered gesturing at Lex, who smirked, as Clark took the cane.

“See you later,” Clark said, giving Mercy a kiss on the cheek as he passed the woman, and not waiting for her reaction.

“What the-”

“I’m assuming you kept Hope at bay? His hearing is returning.”

“You think he lost something else?”

“That or he is currently, invulnerable, has enhanced strength, heat vision, and speed, on top of enhanced hearing.”

“Super Hearing.”

“Adding super to a word does not make it a fitting title.”

“So will he be flying any time soon?”

“While he no longer fears heights I don’t think so. He’s still a little skeptical about that power.”

“You’re late Smallville.”

“Lois it’s five after.”

“Late.”

“Right,” Clark said slipping into his seat. Logging onto his computer he ignored Lois’ hovering. “Something you need?”

“I’m sure that there is more going on at Cadmus then they are letting on. Especially with Luthor’s sudden interest.”

“More? Like what?”

“I have a contact, that said that they have some strange chemicals, that are so out there that the normal, decontamination methods don’t work and they are not even bothering. They are just going to dump them where they can.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Leave that to me Smallville, just stand there and look wounded.”

The conference hadn’t been going on for more than fifteen minutes when Lois made her move. She kicked lightly at his leg, but just in the right place to make his knee crumple. He went down fast, but she caught him.

“Hey! A little help,” Lois snarled and Clark played along allowing himself to be lifted and helped out of the nearest door, instead of the one one they had been led into. Lois winked at him, before a commotion back in the press room had the guard look back at them and towards the room.

“I’m not exactly going anywhere,” Clark said with a sigh and the man started talking into his head piece before heading back into the room.

“Good work Smallville.”

“You could have warned me.”

“Looked better this way. You okay?” Lois asked a bit worried.

“Yeah. Fine,” Clark said guessing he should be glad his invulnerability was gone or that scene would have gone very differently.

“Now what?”

“Now we see what they have to hide,” Lois said holding the security guards key card. He hadn’t even noticed when she had gotten close enough to him to do such a thing. They started walking to the elevator and once inside Lois swiped the card, grinning at the panel it exposed, she picked the lowest floor that the guard seemed to have access to. A third level sub basement.

They stepped off the elevator and looked around for guards, they saw plans for the level and Lois pointed to where there seemed to be stairs that led further down. He followed her until he passed a door that stopped him in his tracks.   
“Lois!” He hissed and she came back quickly.

“Smallville the chemicals can’t be on this level.”

“Look,” he said pointing at a symbol on the door. One he had been told was usually on his chest on full color.

“Why is this here? Do you think they have something to do with Superman disappearing?”

“Didn’t the Justice League say he was on an off world mission?”

“Weeks after he was already gone. And we are getting closer to a year. I know they said an indefinite time frame but what if something happened and the League doesn’t want to cause a panic.”

She swiped the stolen card in the door and frowned when it simply revealed a keypad. Clark looked at the pad and his vision went odd before he realized it was something that Lex had mentioned X-Ray.

He looked into the room and saw, bones, no a body, it seemed to be floating, possibly hovering in the water. As he looked he saw more of them in various sizes, he wished he could control his vision he remembered that he could also see through things and actually see the physical composition.

“Got it,” Lois said and they made their way into the room and Clark saw it was an observation area as his vision snapped back to normal. There was a door at the far end of the room that would bring him to the room with the bodies. He felt such a strong pull to the room.

Lois went to the computer and he approached the door, he was still a few feet from it when his shoulder and leg started to throb. He wasn’t sure what that was about and was more confused when he took a step back and the feeling faded.

“Smallville, check the drawers.”   
“Sure,” Clark said having to get closer to the door, but the feeling while bad did not intensify so he decided to power through it. He wouldn’t be there long. He opened the drawer, and felt his vision blur for a moment. He had to move. He grabbed a handful of files and, decided to turn on the camera on his glasses, it was a small spy camera Mercy had added, stating if he was going to wear something so fake it should at least be useful.

He went through the first files rather quickly and saw that it was a genetic experiment of some kind. They hadn’t said what the samples were but the sign on the door gave him a good idea. That was until he saw a picture of Lex. He went through the file more slowly. Clicking on the other side to send the files to Mercy as well. He didn’t like this at all.   
Moving back to the files he put the files he had already copied away, and pulled out another set. He was about to grab a third set when he felt pulled to the room again. Were they cloning Lex? And what would that mean if they were successful?  
He looked at the door and wouldn’t be able to get that door open. It was a hand print reader. He flicked the light switch instead and the further room lit up. Looking into the room he wondered how deep it went. He felt his stomach clench in nausea for multiple reasons.

“Oh my god,” Lois said moving to stand beside him.

“Are those-”

“Clones, Lois Lane, Clark Kent, I wish I could say this was a pleasure. Hands up,” the scientist said as a pair armed guards made their way into the room. Even as the pair turned. “Both hands Mr. Kent.”

“I can’t.”

“Oh, Clark, can I call you Clark? Do you really think I would fall for that? I may be a natural blond but honestly.”

“I’m not lying,” Clark said through gritted teeth. Staying upright, was getting harder and harder, the longer he stood on this side of the room.

“You are looking a little green.”

Lois who had her hands up but was clearly glancing at Clark, looking to see if they could take the guard. She frowned when she saw Clark was not faking, sweat was breaking out on his brow, and she wondered if she had done more damage than he had admitted when she had kicked him.

“Oh you really aren’t at your best,” she said, her fingers running through Clark’s hair as she invaded his personal space. “Clammy, sweaty, yet you still chase Ms. Lane like a little puppy. I’m surprised Lex Luthor hasn’t made your leash shorter. I doubt I would ever let you out of bed.”

“Should we shoot them?” The guard asked and the woman spun on him with a glare.

“Yes, because that makes sense, everyone knows they were last seen here, why would any one think they have any connection to that? Bring them to warehouse twelve, make sure it looks like a chemical accident. It wouldn’t be the first time they stuck their noses where they shouldn’t be, and this time their luck ran out.”

One of the guards gestured for the pair to follow them and the scientist sighed. “Not that way, you don’t think leading them through the crowd of reporters and camera’s might be a bad idea? Through the lab.” She added slamming a hand down on the panel to unlock the door.

Clark suddenly felt the pain he was feeling intensify as they stepped into the room. He fell to his knees and started to vomit after just a few more steps into the room, he watched in horror as his hands took on a green tint.   
“Help him up,” the scientist snarled, and Clark was glad she didn’t come any closer. He had no idea what was happening but he was sure it was a bad idea for anyone to see it. Lois took her chance when one guard was focused on Clark and the other was watching to make sure Clark didn’t do anything.

She tossed him into the scientist sending them both sprawling to the ground, her foot already going to guard’s head to knock him out as the scientist had gotten the worst of the fall and was already out. She grabbed the gun and turned to the guard with Clark and cursed.

She just wasn’t used to Clark being incapacitated. The guard pulling his head back by the hair gun at his temple froze Lois in her tracks. Whatever was wrong with Clark it was getting worse. She wasn’t even sure if he was fully conscious.   
“Drop it,” he snapped. Lois didn’t even bother to consider it, the gun clattering to the floor. “Over there,” he said gesturing for her to move out of range, and she did as she was told, hands up in surrender when Clark apparently decided he wasn’t done losing his lunch.

The guard pushed him aside in disgust, but before Lois could take advantage of the situation a red light appeared on his chest, and the next thing she knew he was clearly being pumped full electricity. The body flailed backwards slamming into the tanks controls, starting a sequence.

Lois turned and saw Mercy slip a weapon into her jacket. She walked over and delivered a kick to the guard Lois had knocked out before moving for Clark. She took one look at his limbs and the small tubs of glowing green liquid in the room and moved to pull him up. Putting herself, and her lead fiber laced uniform, between Clark and the worst of it. His moan had her know that it was working a little.

Mercy did not bother to antagonize Lane as she came up to her other side to help Clark to his feet, and the two women started moving, Clark more or less being dragged along. They made it back into the observation, room and Mercy was glad that the Green was receding from Clark, even if he had yet to wake.

An alarm went off and the pair glanced at each other and started moving faster, as the alarm was just in the lab.   
“Containment Breech. Containment Breech. Protocol 143 in 60 seconds. Purge in 30 seconds.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Lois said and Mercy looked at the woman.

They entered the hall to a pile of bodies of guards, and Lois stared at Mercy again, as they headed towards the sound of more battle. Hope sent an elbow into the throat of the last guard standing.

“Fire alarm!” Mercy yelled and Hope elbowed the small box near her and pulled the lever.  
“What are you doing?” Lois called over the loud blaring noise.

“What do you think Protocol 143 is? They are burning the evidence, it might be contained to the labs, but I would think your bleeding heart wouldn’t want to chance it.”

“What’s wrong with Clark?” Hope asked as they reached her.

“Frodo’s been playing with the ring again.”

“But, fuck,” Hope said even as she kicked open a door to a stairwell.

They were just at the door for the ground floor when they heard a rumbling sound. They turned back but there were no others coming up. At least from this stairwell. Once they were in the hall they easily blended with the groups of employees, reporters, and security filing swiftly out of the building.

“Look’s like it was confined to the sub-basement,” Lois said even as another rumbling started. This caused a surge of speed in most everyone who heard, or had felt the sound. Where there had once been something bordering on order, people were starting to panic. One person there, a guard near the door, and it was spreading.

“Hurry before we get trampled,” Lois said noticing the panic starting. Metropolis did not get earthquakes. And people were starting to realize it. The group made it across the street, before the first explosion happened. It looked like Cadmus was not taking any chances. The entire, twelve story building seemed to be imploding in on itself.


	15. 15

“Clean-up continues along side the investigation that destroyed Cadmus labs, killing 17, injuring 28 with nearly a dozen still missing.”

Lex snarled as he shut off the Television. There just wasn’t much to done about it. Cadmus had clearly been attempting to clone, Clark, and it wasn’t until they had added his own DNA that they had begun to have viable samples. Lex, assumed that his healing mutation had something to do with it, but with most of the labs, and evidence buried under piles of rubbled, he had no way of knowing. 

The files Clark had copied were mere profiles of each of the growth tanks. They wanted a fully grown adult, a Superman that they could control. It was why Lex had his own teams at the site, digging from below. If anything had made it that would be useful, he wanted it first. He would leave plenty for Cadmus to hang it self with. 

Clark had come out of that adventure with what looked to the world like the flu and since he had been in the lab he had not displayed a single ability. He seemed to have regressed to the stage that he had been when first recovering. The one horrific moment has been when he entered his Penthouse to see Lois Lane of all people getting comfortable on his couch. 

“Get out.” 

“Is that any way to treat a guest?” 

“Guest?” 

“Well of course, it’s not like those pit bulls of yours would just let me walk in here.” 

A flushing sound greeted him, and he turned to see Mercy escorting Clark back to the couch. 

“Cadmus,” Lex said flatly. 

“You’re early, as you can see Lane, your boy scout is still in one piece, you can leave now,” Mercy said. 

“Smallville are you sure you’re okay?” 

“I’m fine Lois, I wasn’t feeling well this morning it just got worse. It’s probably nothing, I’ll write up what I remember from the files but we already know the most important bit.” 

“Yeah. Anyone you want me to call?” 

“I think you have contacted plenty of people on Clark’s behalf don’t you?” Lex snapped, pleased to see the woman flinch. He would never be as forgiving as Clark. 

“I’ll see you in a couple days, email me,” Clark said as Lois stood and grabbed her purse. She walked over to Clark and ruffled his hair gently. 

“We’ll take them down.” 

“Don’t we always?” 

“Sometimes the slimiest one get away,” she said tossing a glare at Lex. 

“Lois. Go back to the office and make sure Perry doesn’t think we’re dead.” 

“Fine I can take a hint.” 

“Really?” Mercy said, as the other woman turned on her heel and left.

“I can never tell if you love her or hate her,” Mercy remarked to Clark who seemed to deflate and show how bad looked once the door had shut. 

“Give me twenty minutes and the answer will change, she’s a good person but she just has some traits, I owe the Chloe from High School a lot of apologies. I didn’t know what anything for a story meant until I met Lois.” 

“A fifteen year old, yet Miss Lane continues to lack even half the discipline.” 

“Have you looked at the files?” Clark asked even as Lex sat on the couch near Clark’s head.

“Not yet, I should have known you would be in the middle of a building falling down in the middle of the day.” 

“Is it going to be bad for you?” 

“We had just started talks of a merger, if anything this works in my favor, their value is plummeting, legal smells blood.” 

“They were cloning you Lex.” 

“I see,” Lex said even as Mercy looked up in surprise. He was sure, Clark still had no idea what had caused Mercy and Hope to come charging to his rescue. From his first exposure to Kryptonite an alarm had gone off. It was clearly for the best, or Clark would most likely have died today with a building having fallen on his head thanks to that idiot Lane. 

“Lex.”

“She’ll live.” 

Clark sighed and shifted so his head was in Lex’s lap. He fell asleep quickly enough as he and Mercy brought up the files and started discussing the research and viable clones, and both their work in the area. 

****

“Are you sure this is the right place?” 

“Do you think I would want that ball buster pissed at me? Yes its the right place. I miss when it was just Mr. Luthor we had to answer to.” 

“Alright bring it in.” 

The pair moved back as a team of two moved forward placing a large metallic box and hitting a few keys and standing back. The robot’s legs popped out of their holding canisters, looking much like a four legged metal spider. Out of the box on its back, a drill appeared, the size of a beach ball and the robot, stood straight, legs extending higher and starting to drill even as the men placed stabilizers around the area. 

It was the fifth such robot that they had set up, having found the route that Cadmus had been using to get the chemicals out of the cloning lab. The worst of the damage had been centered there but you did not tell Mercy no when she said anything salvageable and viable would be coming with them. 

“204 is through! It looks stable.” 

“Throw a drone, no reason to die if it’s not.” 

Doing just that he pulled out a remote control, with screen and turned the drone on. It took a moment for the robot to orient itself, and he was shocked when he realized the darkness blocking the drone was a body, black hair and pale skin clearly evident. 

“Stop the other drillers, we got something. We just need to get it, before this building falls on our heads. Ominous creaking met this statement and further down their tunnel, they heard the sound of a roof collapse crushing a driller despite the stabilizers that seemed to have lost the fight after a few seconds. 

“Bring all the stabilizers here. It may give us just enough time to get clear. 

Together the team worked to place, the stabilization tools from the four other drones around the area, hopefully multiplying the time they would have to get clear. They were lucky that the collapse had not happened near their escape path. 

“Now how do we get it out?” The man mused. He had the drone move around some more coming across what was clearly a burnt body, a woman if the remains of the hair were anything to go by. Shaking his head in disgust, he moved around the untouched body, and saw that it looked like it was between two large arcs of debris, forming what looked like a cave, keeping the body clear. 

He carefully shifted a driller under the hole, and stood on the top of it, raising the legs but not the drill bit. He stuck his head and shoulders into the hole the driller had created before reaching both arms to touch what was once the floor of the lab. He could see more shattered, broken, and explosive damage that had been done. They clearly didn’t want anyone finding out about this. 

If they had been smart and kept it to the sub basement they may have even had a chance. He grabbed the nearest bit of what seemed to be an intact body, and pulled, he had judged correctly with the drone, there was nothing keeping the body down. 

“Lower the driller,” he called, no longer having a hand free for the controls. As he was slowly lowered back the eight feet to the ground he pulled the body with him. A jerk and rumble had them both tumble out as the rest of the team got clear. They waited a few minutes and when the noise settled without a collapse, they made their way back to the body that was lying besides the driller.

“Its just some kid.” 

“I saw the other bodies in there, whatever this is it isn’t some kid. Luthor wants a sample. I can’t think of anything better than this. Let’s get out of here.” 

“Right boss.” 

****

Lex stared again at what he was seeing in his lab. He supposed the team would have to get bonuses for a job well done. It didn’t look quite like Clark had as a teen, much more slender then Lex had ever seen seen Clark, but the body looked to be younger than Clark had ever been. 

He supposed he was seeing marks of his own DNA, the less sharp angles of the face, the mouth was his. The skin was pale and still permeable. He was sure that it had yet to be exposed to any yellow radiation, he just wasn’t sure what would happen if he exposed the body to light or what would happen if it woke. 

Lex took care of one of those problems rather quickly by, keeping the body in a medically induced coma and making sure nothing changed before Clark could take it down. Scans had shown that the body had what would be the normal brain patterns for someone that age who was dreaming. 

It seemed Cadmus had done a data transfer of some kind. He had to learn what it entailed before he could decide to do anything with this. Part of him wished the men had brought him something clearly dead. Not this thing in a half life. And the most damming information had been the fact that he knew that it was half himself and half Clark. Nothing he would have begun to consider so soon but something he would not have thought possible even with his mind. 

Lex was glad now that he would own Cadmus outright now. He needed to understand how this was possible, who would have had the idea to use that particular set of DNA in concert with each other and if nothing else make sure it was not about to happen again. The data the team had recovered would work well for this as well. 

The first step was to make sure there was nothing in the mind of the clone that they would have to worry about. Clark would be back from dinner in two hours and and then things would start moving. Superior alien technology even if Clark did not remember it would be just what he needed to put contingencies in place. 

He also wanted to be sure of the clone’s aging, and systems, what he had gleaned from the data so far showed that it had reached this stage of development in two years. A few more and it would have reached adulthood. He needed to know if he would have an adult in a few years or a petulant teen. Was the clone stable? 

Lex connected some electrodes, hopping to map the mental patterns on the clone, even as he hope to discern thought from programming. The computer started working and Lex did a few quick mental calculations, and decided he had far better ways to spend the next few hours as the machines worked on their own. 


End file.
